Meet the People of UMMA
This is UMMA — a passionate group of individuals who believe that art is a fundamental human right. We are a collective and a culture. A collective driven by the importance of accessible art in our communities. A culture sustained and strengthened by respecting everyone’s voice and contribution.
Director’s
Office
734.763.9954
olsenc@umich.edu
You can usually find me... in storage, exclaiming over new acquisitions!
Christina Olsen
Director, University of Michigan Museum of Art
(she/her)
734.763.9954
fikes@umich.edu
When not at UMMA I love going for long walks with my husband and our dogs, connecting with my family, reading, baking and enjoying a great meal with good friends!
Sandy Fike
Executive Assistant to the Director
734.615.2827
alisunnj@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA... I like playing with my kids, working on home renovation and design projects, and going to the farmer's market on Saturdays.
Alisunn Jones
Manager of Special Projects & Strategic Implementation
(she/her/hers)
Collections
& Registration
My fondest memory from working at the museum is the Student Appreciation event. It really helped me come closer to my co-workers and establish a deeper connection to the workplace community.
Cal
Student Art Handler
734.764.1178
ccgross@umich.edu
You can usually find me... in collection storage admiring my favorite pieces of art.
Corey Gross
Chief Registrar
(he/him/his)
qianhe@umich.edu
For conservation requests, please reach out to my colleague Katie Prichard
Qian He
Asian Art Conservator
Hunter
Student Art Handler
734.647.0527
katprich@umich.edu
My fondest memory at UMMA is... unpacking and cataloguing my favorite artwork in the collection, 'Journey Without Maps VIII' by David Budd.
Katie Prichard
Associate Registrar
(she/her)
734.764.8873
katstadt@umich.edu
You can usually find me... cataloging the collection and updating the database.
Katie Stadtmiller
Registration Associate
(she/her)
Curatorial
Affairs
jrcarty@umich.edu
Jenny Carty
Curator of Art in Public Spaces
734.647.0526
ldbecker@umich.edu
You can usually find me... needlepointing during meetings
Laura De Becker
Chief Curator Helmut and Candis Stern Curator of African Art
(she/her)
734.764.2426
jfriess@umich.edu
You can usually find me... debating between a small and large coffee at the UMMA Cafe.
Jennifer M. Friess
Associate Director of Curatorial Affairs Associate Curator of Photography
(she/her)
You can usually find me in the Curatorial Research Center with a cold brew in hand (carefully sealed, of course).
Russell
Curatorial Student Intern
(he/him)
When I'm not working on museum projects, I enjoy working out and volunteering around Ann Arbor. I am also a Ph.D. student in the History of Art department and one of my favorite things to do is to take my students to visit UMMA.
Róisín
Curatorial Student Intern
(she/her)
734.763.0804
avmiller@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA... I like to run around the playground with my son and seek out any bit of nature I can find.
Ashley Miller
Assistant Curator of African Art
(she/her)
734.647.0523
onatsu@umich.edu
You can usually find me... looking at an art work in study rooms or galleries.
Natsu Oyobe, PhD
Curator of Asian Art
734.764.3894
erindahl@umich.edu
My fondest memory at UMMA is...the fall 2023 opening weekend - it was amazing to see the museum buzzing with excitement, and for all of the hard work and ideas to come to fruition!
Emily Rindahl
Administrative Assistant to the Artistic Program
(she/her)
Outside of UMMA, I like to dance! I am a ballerina.
Sophie
Curatorial Student Intern
(she/her)
robinkwi@umich.edu
The art movement that best matches my personal vibe is 1970s New York — raw, conceptual, spiritual; great jeans and taste in music.
Robin K. Williams
Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art
(she/her)
Development
734.647.2064
meaclark@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA... I love going on adventures with my family, traveling, enjoying Michigan summers, reading, making pottery, and exploring other museums.
Meaghan Clark
Assistant Director of Development, Annual Giving & Events
(she/her)
734.764.1983
jemcc@umich.edu
My fondest memory at UMMA...was being a part of all the reopening festivities when the Frankel wing was completed. It was amazing to see all the excitement as visitors experienced it for the first time.
Jenna Morgan
Stewardship Manager
(she/her)
734.647.3132
syrichar@umich.edu
You can usually find me... grabbing an iced latte at the UMMA Café!
Sydney Richards
Associate Director of Development, Individual Giving
(she/her)
734.647.0516
asamps@umich.edu
You can usually find me... talking with curators about their ideas for new exhibitions.
Anna Sampson
Interim Chief Development Officer
(she/her)
Exhibitions
& Publications
734.764.8319
mdcasad@umich.edu
Matt Casadonte
Senior Exhibitions Technician
734.936.0163
andco@umich.edu
You can usually find me... poring over spreadsheets and, on the best days, seeing an exhibition or a project get installed. In my free time at the museum I love to wander the galleries – you can always find you haven't noticed before..
Andrew Cohen
Exhibitions & Programs Project Manager
(he/him)
734.615.8186
kaweiss@umich.edu
"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails." -Dolly Parton
Katie Derosier
Director of Exhibitions & Publications
(she/her)
734.763.8453
alexanea@umich.edu
You can usually find me... helping prepare artwork for display in the museum's collections rooms and doing a variety of tasks to prep for upcoming exhibitions.
Alexandra Eason
Assistant Exhibitions Technician
(she/her)
734.764.8012
kholoka@umich.edu
You can usually find me... installing art in the galleries.
Kate Holoka
Senior Exhibitions Technician
(she/her)
734.615.2796
savah@umich.edu
You can usually find me... deep in thought playing around with ideas for engaging exhibition graphics.
Savanna Hudson
Exhibitions Graphic Designer
(she/her)
734.615.7754
elarso@umich.edu
You can usually find me... popping into curators' offices to check on exhibition progress.
Erika Larson
Senior Manager, Exhibitions & Publications
(she/her)
Finance
& Operations
734.647.0985
efarrel@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA... I like to read, write, watch movies, & listen to/play music! And maybe a little splash of video games...
Ethan Farrelly
Financial Specialist
(he/him)
734.647.0518
terrig@umich.edu
My fondest memory at UMMA is... just before reopening the building after construction I went out the back door of the elevator into the galleries and saw the Aspara Warrior. It took my breath away.
Terri L. Gable
Associate Director of Finance & Administration
(she/her)
Outside of UMMA, I play rugby! I am currently on the UM Women's team and we have won two national championships.
Ella
Student Event Host
(she/they)
734.660.5804
jmorehe@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA... I like to spend time with my family and pets, host book club, and go on silly friend dates.
Jenna Morehead
Facilities Manager
(she/her)
734.647.0521
hnickel@umich.edu
You can usually find... me in the shop, merchandising and working with my wonderful staff of Shop Sales Reps and Visitor's Services Navigators.
Hayden Nickel
Retail Operations Assistant Manager
(they/them)
734.763.7198
patanash@umich.edu
The art piece that best matches my vibe is... Caravaggio's Judith & Holofernes, it's a story of a woman who was underestimated. The artist was also underestimated.
Patricia Scott
Director of Finance & Administration
(she/her)
734.763.9051
nvanh@umich.edu
You can usually find me... unboxing new product arrivals in the UMMA Shop!
Neil A. Van Houten
Retail Operations Manager
(he/him)
Fictional characters that might best represent me are both Dipper and Mabel Pines from 'Gravity Falls'. Dipper, like me, is curious, loves learning, and can be very type-A. Like Mabel, I love sweaters and can be more relaxed and fun around people I feel close to.
Kaitlyn
Student Event Host
(she/her)
Marketing
& Public Relations
734.647.0524
ankney@umich.edu
Christopher Ankney
Director of Marketing and Public Relations
(he/him)
bickelk@umich.edu
If I was a dessert, I would like to be a Madeleine, their recipe is timeless and true - plus they look so cool!
Kate Bickel
Marketing Project Assistant
(she/her)
Victor
Student Content Creator
(he/him)
What is your most niche personal interest: I've been collecting basketball sneakers for eight years -- at this point, my closet looks like the backrooms at Footlocker!
Katherine
Marketing Student Intern
(she/her)
810.835.7710
nkagerer@umich.edu
You can usually find me...walking around the museum talking with guests, getting inspiration, or taking photo and video for social media... follow us @ummamuseum :)
Neil Kagerer
Community Marketing & Social Media Specialist
(he/him)
734.647.0517
moatru@umich.edu
Outside of UMMA I like... being out on a hike taking pictures of every single flower, mushroom, or bug I see.
Molly Trudeau
Web Content Specialist
(she/her)
Museum
Technology
773.987.6527
shayla@umich.edu
You can usually find me... in the basement working on bug fixes.
Shayla Johnson
Web Applications Developer
734.763.0256
jmturner@umich.edu
You can usually find me... quietly helping other staff so they can make a positive impact on our visitors.
John Turner
Director of Museum Technology
(he/him)
Public Experience
& Learning
734.615.9815
lherbert@umich.edu
Lisa Herbert Borgsdorf
Associate Director for Public Experience & Learning
(she/her)
734.615.8181
dchoberk@umich.edu
You can usually find me... talking about art.
David Choberka
Mellon Foundation Curator for University Learning and Programs
(he/him)
734.846.6108
briannon@umich.edu
You can usually find me... hanging out with UMMA's Student Advisory Board members, devising awesome student programming, introducing them to the wonderful world of museum work, and being a hype-woman for their creative social media endeavors.
Briannon Cierpilowski
Manager of Student Programs
Mahalina Dimacali
Program Coordinator
(she/they/siya)
You can usually find me talking about art with University of Michigan classes that are visiting the museum.
Tyler Dunston
Public Engagement and University Learning Intern
734.936.3461
iengel@umich.edu
You can usually find me... laughing somewhere in the galleries
Isabel Engel
University Learning and Programs Specialist
(she/her)
felixzg@umich.edu
Felix Zamora Gomez
Irving Stenn, Jr. Fellow in Public Humanities & Museum Pedagogy
You can usually find me leading learning engagements for different university classes or doing collections research on UMMA's medieval and early modern objects (lots of looking at art, object files, old books, and googling!)
Julia LaPlaca
Irving Stenn Jr. Fellow in Public Humanities and Museum Pedagogy
kafi@umich.edu
Kafi Laramore
K-12 Teaching & Learning Coordinator
734.678.0903
jleija@umich.edu
You can usually find me... with the PEL team strategizing about upcoming events and other activities in the museum.
James P. Leija
Deputy Director for Public Experience and Learning
(he/they)
Kasey Rosatti is in her 4th and final year of undergraduate studies, majoring in Public Policy with a focus area in International Law and Diplomatic Policy. Kasey has been working with UMMA for almost 2 years and is proud of the work she’s done on everything from the Vote Project to co-leading the SAB!
Kasey
Student Program Assistant & Navigator
2024 SAB Member
Annie is a Junior studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Gender and Health. She is an avid lover of the arts from music to theater, to film.
Annie
Student Program Assistant & Navigator
2024 SAB Member
Sj
Student Exhibition Interpreter
734.615.6247
mdegroo@umich.edu
You can usually find me... in the galleries with a group of young students and teachers.
Grace VanderVliet
Curator for Museum Teaching and Learning
(she/her)
Visitor Services and Retail
Aine
UMMA Student Navigator
(she/her)
Outside of work at UMMA... I love to create art of my own! I crochet and knit, sew, paint, sketch, and dance. I also love the research I do on Bipolar Disorder in the EmoTe lab on campus, and enjoy spending time with my friends and my sweet cat, Lola!
Lillie
UMMA Student Navigator
(she/they)
Cameron
UMMA Student Navigator
(he/him)
My fondest memory from working at the museum is when I met Janie Paul and got to speak to her about what she is doing in STAMPS for the Prison Creatives Arts Project. It was very inspiring.
Leah
UMMA Student Navigator
(she/her)
Sophie
UMMA Student Navigator
(she/her)
Alexander
UMMA Student Navigator
(he/they)
The piece of art that best matches my personal vibe is, 'Near the Lake' by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, simply because I could stare at it for hours.
Lejla
UMMA Student Navigator & Shop Clerk
(she/her)
You can usually find me... helping guests out, whether in the shop or the front desk.
Amarilis
UMMA Student Navigator & Shop Clerk
(she/her)
Annie is a Junior studying Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience with a minor in Gender and Health. She is an avid lover of the arts from music to theater, to film.
Annie
Student Program Assistant & Navigator
2024 SAB Member
Kasey Rosatti is in her 4th and final year of undergraduate studies, majoring in Public Policy with a focus area in International Law and Diplomatic Policy. Kasey has been working with UMMA for almost 2 years and is proud of the work she’s done on everything from the Vote Project to co-leading the SAB!
Kasey
Student Program Assistant & Navigator
2024 SAB Member
If I was a dessert, I think I would be Baklava! Sweet, nutty, and a bit messy.
Nikki
UMMA Student Navigator & Shop Clerk
(she/her)
CHamoru undergraduate student focusing on the archaeological study of Oceania.
Carly
UMMA Student Navigator
(she/her)
Daja
UMMA Student Navigator & Shop Clerk
(she/her)
Logan
UMMA Student Navigator
(he/him)
UMMA Leadership Board
The UMMA Leadership Board (ULB) is a volunteer advisory board created and supported by UMMA to provide strategic guidance on issues of advocacy and fundraising for the Museum.
Meet the ULBStudent Advisory Board
The Student Advisory Board (SAB) is dedicated to creating a culturally inclusive community through programmatic efforts, and amplifying student voices to shape the museum.
Meet the SAB