SAN DIEGO, CA.- The San Diego Museum of Art announces Reed Vickerman as the new Deputy Director of Operations and Finance and Sandra Benito as the new Deputy Director for Education. Mr. Vickerman began his role on September 1 and Ms. Benito will begin on October 3, 2011.

Reed Vickerman comes to the Museum with 28 years of experience managing high-tech and life science companies, most recently serving as Vice President of Corporate Operations at Amylin Pharmaceuticals in San Diego. He holds a B.S. in Managerial Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, as well as professional certificates from Harvard, UCLA and UCSD. Mr. Vickerman will serve as the chief administrative officer for the Museum, supervising operations and financial matters while ensuring the smooth operations of the institution. A member of Move San Diego, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and past Co-Chair of University of California San Diego’s Undergraduate Scholarship Council, Mr. Vickerman has been actively involved in stimulating young minds in the San Diego community and should be a familiar face to many Museum members, donors, and visitors.

Sandra Benito will join the Museum team with more than 20 years of experience working with museums and managing diverse teams of educators, docents, artists, scholars, and professors. Ms. Benito comes to the Museum from Palacio Bellas Artes in Mexico City, where she served as General Deputy Director. She holds a degree in art history from the Universidad Iberoamericana, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, where she specialized in Mexican and European art of the 19th and 20th centuries. Ms. Benito will provide leadership, vision, and strategic thinking in all aspects of the institution’s educational activities. She will continue with the Museum’s practice of English-Spanish translations of the Museum’s gallery-based didactics and has the experience and vision to expand the program in the future. A member of the College Art Association, North American Exhibition Organizers, Mexican Association of Museum Professionals, and the International Council of Museums, Ms. Benito’s dedication to the community and background in institutional affairs will complement the Museum’s current educational programming initiatives.

“Mr. Vickerman has shown a highly successful track record of facilitating the growth of companies while controlling costs, developing and leveraging strategic relationships,” said Roxana Velásquez, Executive Director of The San Diego Museum of Art. “Ms. Benito’s broad network of relationships with cultural institutions throughout the Unites States, Latin America, and Europe will incorporate additional international guests and speakers into the Museum’s educational programming.”