WASHINGTON, DC.- In celebration of Women’s History month, four women who direct museums in Washington, D.C. will candidly explore the role of women in our nation’s cultural life in a panel discussion at the National Museum of Women in the Arts at 6:30 p.m. on March 26, 2009. The program is co-sponsored by ArtTable, the leadership organization for professional women in the visual arts, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts, dedicated to recognizing the contributions of women artists.

At the panel, Breaking Through: Women Leading Museums, nationally renowned interviewer and N.P.R. Morning Edition special correspondent Susan Stamberg will moderate a lively conversation with directors whose institutions reflect Washington’s broad range of museums:

Camille Giraud Akeju, Director, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution

Leslie Buhler, Executive Director, Tudor Place Historic House and Garden

Dorothy Kosinski, Director, The Phillips Collection

Susan Fisher Sterling, Director, National Museum of Women in the Arts

“Women are making extraordinary contributions to our nation’s cultural life, but still face marked challenges, from the gender pay gap to work-life balance,” said Elizabeth Ash, Chair of the D.C. Chapter of ArtTable. “These museum directors will offer their unique perspectives on how to succeed at the highest levels and what they wish they had known sooner.”

During the evening, the panelists will share their professional journeys, offer advice to emerging professionals, and communicate their vision for leading museums today and beyond.