SHOREVIEW, MINN.- The CAT Museum announced the appointment of a new curatorial team — Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Dr. Jill Ahlberg Yohe and Assistant Curator of Glass, Linnea Seidling. Ahlberg Yohe joined the staff on December 16 and Seidling has been promoted from her former position as the Museum’s Director of Communication and Events.

Ahlberg Yohe has more than a decade of experience creating innovative exhibitions, scholarship, and programming as an independent consultant and museum curator. She earned her PhD from the University of New Mexico and served for many years at the Minneapolis Institute of Art as the associate curator of Native American Art, during which time she organized notable exhibitions including “Hearts of our People” and “In Our Hands.” In addition to her extensive knowledge of contemporary artists, Indigenous cultures, and the Twin Cities arts scene, Ahlberg Yohe embodies a commitment to meaningful community engagement.

“Jill is a fantastic addition to the CAT team,” says Kathie Cafesjian Baradaran, the museum’s founder and CEO. “She brings a unique lens through which we can study the arts. Her versatility in working with material culture, contemporary art, and directly with community members will help us uplift the narratives present in our museum objects. As we continue to expand collection to include more contemporary works of art, Jill will be instrumental in realizing our vision of being a responsive, relevant museum.”

“I am thrilled to be joining the CAT Museum at this pivotal moment of institutional growth,” says Ahlberg Yohe. “Through bold leadership and vision, the CAT Museum is well positioned in becoming a leader in the field of contemporary art and glass. I am thrilled to join the exceptional CAT team who embrace creativity, forward-thinking and innovation in museum experiences.”

Ahlberg Yohe will work alongside Seidling, whose extensive background in decorative arts and glass history will support further research and exhibitions about glass – currently the museum’s largest collection area. Seidling holds an MA in the History of Decorative Art, Design, and Material Culture from the Bard Graduate Center in New York City and has held curatorial positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Corning Museum of Glass.

“Linnea has proven herself to be an invaluable asset in navigating and celebrating our collection of art glass and studio glass,” says Baradaran. “We especially appreciate her ability to translate complicated technical or academic concepts into accessible, easy-to-learn content for our visitors. Her official promotion to a curatorial position reflects the two years of content generation and research she’s already provided to the institution. We are looking forward to seeing both Linnea’s and Jill’s expertise and creativity on display here at the CAT.”