“Karen came to the Connecticut Historical Society on a limited-term project, but quickly became an indispensable member of our Collections team. She greatly exceeded our expectations in building our TMS database, mastering every aspect of the database, writing a staff manual and training all of our users, and learning digital photography to incorporate an extensive library of images. Karen's management of our National Endowment for the Humanities cataloging project was so successful that our NEH project manager wrote to us at project completion to compliment us on the caliber of her work. I have always been impressed by Karen’s innovative thinking, her ability to clearly articulate her ideas, and her commitment to giving her very best effort. Her dedication to her colleagues and to our collection was an asset to CHS for many years.”
-Susan P. Schoelwer, PhD
-Robert H. Smith, Senior Curator, George Washington’s Mount Vernon (formerly
Director of Museum Collections, Connecticut Historical Society)
Managing Director
Cotsen Foundation for Academic Research, Los Angeles, California
- Managed the Lloyd Cotsen Collection of 10,000 objects, including international textiles, archaeological artifacts, contemporary ceramics, decorative arts, and basketry.
- Partnered with senior staff of a major Los Angeles museum to manage collaborative exhibition and research projects.
- Managed an ancient Chinese bronze mirror project that included a 2-volume publication, an academic symposium of international scholars, an exhibition, and a gift repatriating the mirrors to China.
- Completed many international purchases, coordinating with art dealers, auction houses, and Customs personnel around the world for safe shipment and legal importation.
- Curated and installed changing exhibitions and managed research visits in two private galleries.
- Cataloged new acquisitions by writing descriptions, performing condition assessments, digitally photographing artwork, and creating database records.
- Managed HVAC control, location inventories, and art transport and storage across multiple facilities.
- Coordinated exhibition loans and reproduction permissions for publications.
- Partnered with database vendor to build a custom collections database and migrate all data and images.
Museum Collections Manager
The Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, Connecticut
- Managed a collection of 280,000 objects including costume and textiles, Native American basketry and beadwork, works on paper, furniture, paintings, metalware, tools and equipment, glass, and ceramics.
- Database architect and administrator for The Museum System (TMS), creating all data records, establishing vocabulary authorities, configuring security protocols and data fields, editing curatorial data, importing thousands of images, and managing system upgrades.
- Wrote a manual for TMS and trained staff for institution-specific usage of the system.
- Wrote methodology section of a successful application to the National Endowment for the Humanities. Managed the NEH cataloging grant, hiring required staff, establishing work flow, performing collection inventories, and writing all project reports to the funding agency.
- Accessioned new and existing collection items, creating database records, digitally photographing all types of objects, housing objects in archival storage materials, and maintaining accurate inventories.
- Established digitization policy to create an image library and implemented a strategy for its long-term preservation.
- Monitored HVAC and maintained safe storage conditions for collections.
Electronic Cataloguing Manager
Pomona College Museum of Art, Claremont, California
- Developed an interactive database for a collection of 10,000 objects, including Renaissance to contemporary works on paper and paintings, photography, Native American basketry and ceramics, and Chinese snuff bottles.
- Converted hard copy files into digital records in an Embark database, and scanned thousands of images to create system records.
- Created a framework of searchable indices by categorizing art according to subject content, object type, and artistic period.
- Customized and launched the web-based public interface for Embark.
- Managed the museum’s web site, designing new pages and writing content to expand the site to meet changing museum needs.
Collections Indexer
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, California
- Created the structural framework for the Getty’s interactive public database, working on an accelerated time table to be ready for the grand opening of the Getty Center.
- Maintaining careful vocabulary control, indexed art according to subject content, place of origin, object type, and maker role.
- Coordinated with staff across all curatorial departments to obtain required information and to solicit feedback on work in progress.
Consultant to the Museum Education Director and Docent
David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art, University of Chicago
- Guided groups of school children through the gallery, engaging them in a dialog to teach them the principles of art.
- Collaborated with the Education Director to perform personnel and program evaluations.
- Evaluated and participated in redesigning program teaching materials.
- Represented the Smart Museum at meetings of Chicago-area museums and art education foundations, to plan a collaborative community outreach program for the Chicago public schools.
- Analysis of communication methods in this education program was the core of my Master’s thesis.
