National Museum of Wildlife Art Names Kelly Skeen Fried as Sugden Chief Curator of Education

Veteran museum educator brings nearly a decade of national museum experience to key leadership role

The National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kelly Skeen Fried as the Sugden Chief Curator of Education. In this senior leadership role, Skeen Fried will direct the strategic vision and implementation of all museum education programs, gallery interpretation, and educational exhibitions, advancing the Museum’s mission to impart knowledge and generate wonder through art and education.

The position became available when Jane Lavino retired in February following a remarkable 35-year tenure at the Museum, during which she built the education department into the community-rooted, nationally regarded program it is today.

Skeen Fried arrives at NMWA with an impressive background in museum education and interpretation. Most recently, she served on the education team at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and prior to that spent five years at the Smithsonian American Art Museum—bringing nearly a decade of experience at nationally recognized institutions to her new role. “We are thrilled to have Kelly join the Museum team. She brings significant experience in museum education and interpretation, which will provide fresh and innovative perspectives to shepherd the Museum’s educational programs as we enter an exciting, transformational phase in the next five years,” says Steve Seamons, Executive Director at NMWA.

Skeen Fried is drawn to NMWA’s distinctive position at the intersection of art, wildlife, and the natural world—a space she describes as offering limitless learning opportunities for audiences of all ages. Her early career at the Smithsonian Institution instilled in her a passion for connecting art with the broadest range of disciplines, from natural history and zoology to environmental stewardship. “The beauty of the National Museum of Wildlife Art is that there are many rich entry points in addition to art. Whether you are curious about the natural world, enjoy recreating outdoors, or value environmental stewardship, there is an artwork and a story for you to connect with here. I am excited to honor those visitors’ interest in nature and wildlife and help them foster a love for art,” says Skeen Fried.

Among Skeen Fried’s top priorities in her first year is expanding the Museum’s national education profile. She plans to leverage NMWA’s ongoing collection digitization effort to develop virtual education programs for learners across the country, create classroom-ready curricular resources for teachers nationwide, and introduce innovative digital interpretation that brings wildlife art and artists to new audiences beyond Jackson and Wyoming. “I hope my work here can further emphasize the ‘national’ in National Museum of Wildlife Art, connecting people from across the nation with our premier collection through educational programming and resources,” says Skeen Fried.

In addition to broadening the Museum’s national impact, Skeen Fried is eager to shape a more meaningful and accessible in-gallery experience by collaborating with the curatorial team on audience-centered interpretation and introducing multimodal, interactive elements that engage the senses. “Museums are a critical space for education, now more than ever. Learning how to look at works of art helps us build other important skills that we can use outside the museum walls. We can learn creative problem solving and critical thinking through art, which are key skills that students need to thrive in our world today,” says Skeen Fried. She also plans to draw on emerging research demonstrating the positive impact of art experiences on health and wellbeing, using that evidence to inform programming that elicits awe and wonder in visitors of all ages.

Skeen Fried has expressed deep admiration for NMWA’s community-rooted programming, including the co-curated exhibitions developed alongside local students and teachers each winter and spring, and is committed to honoring the partnerships cultivated by her predecessor. “I am grateful to Jane Lavino, who created and cultivated partnerships rooted in deep collaboration over her impressive tenure,” Skeen Fried says. “I believe that learning and connection is at the heart of our museum.”