SAN DIEGO, CA.- The New Children’s Museum announced today that Gabrielle Wyrick will join their leadership team as Chief Curator + Director of Audience Engagement on August 1, 2022. Wyrick is an accomplished museum professional, published author and academic instructor with over 20 years of education, curatorial and engagement experience.

Wyrick’s appointment as Chief Curator + Director of Audience Engagement completes the leadership team put in place by Elizabeth Yang-Hellewell, Executive Director + CEO, who took the helm in January of this year. Wyrick joins Yang-Hellewell and Christine Dolan (Chief Financial Officer), Kerri Fox (Chief Operating Officer), Kathleen Daugherty (Deputy Director of Philanthropy) and Rebeca Lupian (Director of People + Culture).

“Gabrielle shares our passion for engaging the community through contemporary art,” said Elizabeth Yang-Hellewell, Executive Director and CEO. “Through her work at other art museums, she has successfully connected diverse audiences and provided access to contemporary art, artists and the creative process. I am delighted to welcome her to The New Children’s Museum and look forward to working with her to shape our creative vision.”

Wyrick comes to The New Children's Museum from the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) where she served as Deputy Director of Learning and Engagement for the past four years. As a core member of the leadership team, Wyrick helped promote the educational and community impact mission, advancing strategic audience development goals and overseeing the implementation of all programmatic initiatives. During her tenure at NOMA, Wyrick was instrumental in realizing the large-scale community engagement initiative Creative Assembly, which used participatory art experiences as a vehicle for personal exploration, community collaboration and social change.

“I have witnessed firsthand how art and museums can impact individuals and communities in powerful, transformative ways. That potential for impact is what drives me, which is more important than ever in these challenging times,” said Gabrielle Wyrick. “I look forward to taking my passion and drive to The New Children’s Museum, a truly distinctive organization at the crossroads of community engagement, creative youth development and contemporary art.”

A San Diego native, Wyrick developed her love and passion for art as a child visiting museums throughout San Diego. She started her career at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in education and community programs, returning for a second stint several years later to serve as Curator of Education. Other museum posts include the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston), the Blanton Museum of Art (Austin), the Institute of Contemporary Art (Boston) and the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Wyrick received a B.A. in Art History and Criticism from the University of California, San Diego, and an M.A. in Art History from Tufts University. She is a frequent presenter and speaker for the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and American Association of Museums (AAM). She has lectured and served as an adjunct professor at Harvard University, Tufts University, Suffolk University and UCSD, among others.

Wyrick will be relocating to San Diego in July.