SANTA ANA, CA.- The Orange County Museum of Art announced the appointment of Susan E. Totten as Director of Development. Totten comes to OCMA amidst the Museum’s capital campaign for a new building that will open at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in 2021. She brings a breadth of fundraising and consulting experience in Orange County as well as nationally and internationally. Most recently, Totten served as Senior Vice President at Arts Consulting Group, Inc., where she oversaw the revenue enhancement practice and worked with organizations to provide capital campaign feasibility studies, campaign management, and earned revenue growth strategies.
“We are thrilled that Sue is joining us in these next stages of our capital campaign. Her deep knowledge of the fundraising landscape in Orange County and elsewhere, as well as her institutional and organizational expertise, will be invaluable as we move forward,” said Todd Smith, Director and CEO. “In addition to running the campaign, Sue will further develop the museum’s fundraising capacity once the new museum opens.”
Before joining the Arts Consulting Group, Inc., Totten served in senior fundraising positions at the University of California, Los Angeles; Providence Little Company of Mary Foundation; UC Irvine Health Advancement; Opera Pacific; and Pacific Symphony, where she developed all aspects of a $30 million capital campaign. Totten holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and lives in Newport Beach. She will begin her new position on May 1, 2020.
“I am excited and honored to join OCMA at this exciting moment in its history. I’ve hoped to be part of this project for a very long time and look forward to the completion and opening of the museum, which with its collection and exhibitions will be a cultural treasure for the Southern California and international arts communities,” said Totten.
At the groundbreaking for its new home on September 20, 2019, OCMA announced the launch of a $73 million capital campaign for its new home designed by Pritzker Laureate Thom Mayne of Morphosis in Culver City. The 52,000-square-foot museum includes 25,000 square feet of exhibition galleries, as well as an additional 10,000 square feet for education programs, performances, and public gatherings. To date, $52 million has been raised.
The Museum’s Season 4 of exhibitions at its temporary location at South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana, which highlight the works of a range of Pacific Rim artists, are postponed as the Museum monitors the COVID-19 pandemic. Compelling digital programming including screenings, tours, and interviews is available on social media and online.
