 | Media Contact: Amistad Center for Art & Culture, Board of Trustees Chair, Jeff MoyerEmail address: communications@amistadcenter.org |
| Rodneyna Hart Named Interim Executive Director of The Amistad Center for Art & Culture |
| The Amistad Center for Art & Culture today announces Rodneyna Hart as Interim Executive Director, as Dr. Sarah A. Clunis has stepped down |
| Hartford, CT— February 1, 2026 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Amistad Center for Art & Culture today announced that Dr. Sarah A. Clunis, has stepped down as Executive Director of the Amistad Center on Friday, January 30, 2026. Dr. Clunis will continue to support the Amistad Center, further strengthening the long-term partnership between The Amistad and its community stakeholders. During her tenure, Dr. Clunis advanced the Center’s mission and strenghtned community outreach through new programmatic and exhibition initiatives. Her vision, passion, and commitment have shaped the organization in ways that will endure long after her tenure. February 1, 2026, Dr. Clunis assumes a new leadership role as Head of Anthropology Collections at the Yale Peabody Museum. Rodneyna M. O. Hart, MBA, Deputy Director of The Amistad Center, will assume the role of Interim Executive Director beginning January 14, 2026, ensuring continuity of leadership and operational stability. She brings nearly two decades of museum leadership, curatorial management, community partnerships, and nonprofit executive experience to this interim role. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in studio art and an MBA in Business from Louisiana State University, a combination that equips her with both artistic and organizational leadership expertise. Rodneyna Hart has held senior roles in cultural institutions across the United States, including serving as Museum Division Director for the Louisiana State Museum System, where she managed four regional museums and guided exhibitions, community engagement initiatives, and organizational partnerships. “Rodneyna’s depth of experience in museum management, programmatic leadership, and community advocacy makes her exceptionally well-suited to guide The Amistad Center during this transition,” said Board Chair Jeff Moyer. “Her leadership ensures that our strategic priorities remain strong and forward-looking.” Her professional background spans executive directorship of arts nonprofit organizations, exhibitions management, gallery curation, and strategic operations. She has also been recognized for her contributions to the field, including gubernatorial appointment to the Louisiana State Arts Council, selection as one of Baton Rouge Business Report’s Forty Under 40, recognized as a Game Changer Reshaping Louisiana’s Business Climate – Vital Vision: Innovator by the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, and The Drum Newspaper’s “Who to Watch.” At The Amistad Center, Hart has played an instrumental role in advancing mission-driven programs, forging partnerships, curating exhibitions, and leading initiatives that support education, cultural representation, and community engagement. If you have any questions, please contact Jeff Moyer at communications@amistadcenter.org |
| For more information on what’s new at the Amistad Center, visit our website at amistadcenter.org |
| The Amistad Center for Art & Culture is committed to honoring, preserving, and celebrating the art and cultural contributions of people of African descent through exhibitions, educational programs, and community partnerships. |