SEPTEMBER 2004

STAFF NEWS

Lisa Gaffin has been interim academic programs coordinator since October 2003. She is responsible for increasing awareness of The Wolfsonian and promoting utilization of the collection and resources among the university community. Prior to joining The Wolfsonian, Lisa worked as a program coordinator at Columbia University Mailman School Of Public Health. She received an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree from FIU.

Glenn Kaufhold joined The Wolfsonian as associate director for marketing and development in January 2003. In this newly created position, he oversees the museum's fundraising efforts, the membership program, marketing and public relations, and visitor services. Glenn's previous experience is primarily in fundraising and marketing in the health field: prior positions include those of vice president of development and marketing at The Medical Foundation in Boston, director of development and marketing at Boston's Fenway Community Health, and director of development and alumni relations for the Boston University School of Dental Medicine. "I'm excited about being part of The Wolfsonian's team," he said. "After working for so many years in the health field, it's stimulating to be part of a creative cultural organization."

Since joining The Wolfsonian in March 2003, assistant registrar Debbye Kirschtel-Taylor has been researching and cataloguing the museum's collection. "I love my job," she said. "This is a vast and amazing collection, and I have learned quite a bit about the collection from visiting fellows." Debbye earned a certificate in museum studies at Harvard University, trained as an artist at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and earned an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of Florida. She has been the recipient of numerous awards and grants and has exhibited her artwork in several solo and group exhibitions.

Melissa Smith Levine, a specialist in intellectual property and legal issues relating to the art world, became the museum's associate director of finance and administration in May 2003. She assists in overseeing all aspects of museum operations, with particular emphasis on finance and planning, public access to The Wolfsonian's collection, and all income-producing activities, reproductions, and policy development. Melissa is a Miami native who worked in Washington, D.C. for several years; before joining The Wolfsonian, she was visiting manager-curator at the World Bank Art Program, where she managed the organization's exhibition program and art collection. Previously, she was the assistant general counsel/legal advisor to the Library of Congress's National Digital Library Project. Prior to that, she served as a contract negotiator and assistant manager of revenue, concessions and business activities at the Smithsonian Institution.

Lisa Li began work as a curatorial assistant in March 2003. A graduate in art history from the University of Florida, she is currently working toward a master's degree in the same field at the University of Miami. As curatorial assistant, Li assists Wolfsonian curators with exhibitions, researches objects in the collection, responds to collection-related inquiries from researchers, and investigates potential traveling exhibitions. "Working at The Wolfsonian has been an incredible experience," Lisa says. "The collection's diversity and relevance make it a pleasure to work with. I find myself learning new things every day." She has completed internships at the Bass Museum of Art and at the Lowe Art Museum, where she also worked on staff; in addition, she previously worked at The Wolfsonian in 2001 as the interim public programs administrator.

Accounting assistant Lydia Lopez began working at The Wolfsonian in February 2003 as a curatorial intern and assumed her current responsibilities in November 2003. She is responsible for processing all payments and deposits. She is working towards a B.A. in art history at FIU.

In October 2003 Ana Mendoza joined the staff as business manager after working as a contractor to implement a new accounting system since June 2003. She is responsible for all business and budgeting functions for the museum, and serves as the liaison to FIU's business office. "This is the first time I have worked for a nonprofit organization, and it has been a great learning experience," she says. Her background is varied and includes owning and operating a scuba diving shop, working in accounting for construction companies, and working as the controller for Administrative Services, Inc.

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