EASTON, MD.- The Academy Art Museum in Easton, Md. announced that Dennis McFadden of Wellesley, Mass. will assume the position of Director of the Academy Art Museum on February 1, 2015. McFadden is a native of Bethlehem, Pa. He received his undergraduate education at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis. and earned a Master of Architecture degree and completed additional graduate study in Art History at Columbia University.

McFadden has worked in the historic preservation field and in art and history museums as a curator and senior administrator, including Carnegie Museum of Art, the Heinz Architectural Center, and the Wellesley College Davis Museum and Cultural Center. As an independent historic preservation consultant, he advised public agencies on projects including the 42nd Street Development Project in New York City and the restoration of the New York State Capitol, as well as wrote for “Inland Architect” magazine. Most recently, McFadden was Executive Director of the Atwood House Museum in Chatham, Mass. The Museum is the home of the Chatham Historical Society and has an impressive collection of fine and decorative arts in addition to a mid-18th century house and extensive archival holdings.

According to Kay Perkins, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Academy Art Museum, “Dennis is a serious scholar who has an extensive background in managing staff and volunteers in numerous arts organizations. He comes to us as a seasoned and serious professional who will lead the Museum in continuing to enhance the important cultural landscape of the Eastern Shore.”

McFadden is active in the museum field, serving as an evaluator for the American Alliance of Museums’ assessment and accreditation programs. He has reviewed funding requests for public agencies and private foundations, and participated in regional and national conferences. Dennis serves on the professional advisory committee for Fallingwater, the great Frank Lloyd Wright house in western Pennsylvania, and has been a leader in establishing collaborations among museums and historic sites in Chatham.

McFadden is married to Judith Hull, an architectural historian who holds a PhD from Columbia University in architectural history. Her areas of specialization include modern and American architecture, architecture in the Nordic countries, landscape design, and women in the design professions. They have one daughter.