The Dedham Historical Society & Museum has a new Executive Director – Johanna McBrien, a long-time leader in cultural preservation.
McBrien succeeds Vicky Kruckeberg, who retired after eight years at the helm of the DHSM. McBrien joins the DHSM from Antiques & Fine Art magazine, the leading publication in its field. An expert in early American culture, furniture, and decorative arts, McBrien has a long career in management of cultural non-profits, education, research, publishing, online initiatives, and marketing.
“We are delighted to welcome Johanna to the Dedham Historical Society & Museum,” said President Andrea Gilmore. “With her broad experience, she is an ideal fit for the DHSM.” A search committee chose McBrien from a field of candidates for the Executive Director post.
“I am excited about the opportunity to lead the Dedham Historical Society & Museum,” said McBrien, a Norwood resident. “Among Vicky’s accomplishments were making the organization more visitor friendly and building relationships within the community. I am looking forward to expanding on her efforts and collaborating with the board, our committees, volunteers, and staff to further increase awareness of the DHSM and the relevance of Dedham’s history to audiences of today.”
McBrien’s more than 30-year career spans museums, including Historic New England, and auction houses, such as Northeast Auctions and Christie’s in New York. She has lectured and published on the history of furniture, decorative arts, and interiors, and taught courses at Rhode Island School of Design and Boston Architectural College. Her non-profit board and council service includes Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, Gore Place in Waltham, and the Decorative Arts Trust.
A graduate of Boston University, she earned an M.A. from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture at the University of Delaware.