Staff
Jennifer-Navva Milliken, Executive Director & Chief Curator (Pronouns: she/her)
Jennifer-Navva Milliken is the executive leader of the Museum and is responsible for creating and executing the exhibition schedule, facilitating the annual Windgate Residency program, maintaining the integrity of the museum collection and research library, and overseeing the Museum’s publishing and documentation activities.
Before coming to the Museum in May 2018, she worked as an independent curator and consultant, following her tenure as the Curator of Craft and Design and the interim curatorial director at the Bellevue Arts Museum [BAM]. Before joining BAM, she established INTER ALIA projects, a curatorial enterprise based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and New York, NY. INTER ALIA fostered dialogues surrounding contemporary art, studio craft, design, and new media through site-specific pop-up exhibitions, gallery programming, writing, and advocacy for artists practicing in these fields. Milliken has lived in several locales including Jerusalem, New York, Seoul, and Tel Aviv. In addition to her time at BAM, she has been an embedded staff member at a number of cultural institutions and museums, among them the Museum of Arts & Design (MAD), New York, and The Israel Museum, Jerusalem.
She serves on the board of the Furniture Society and is a member of the International Council of Museums. Milliken remains in demand as a lecturer and writer due to her expertise in contemporary craft and design. She authored the exhibition catalogue WHY WOOD? Contemporary Practice in a Timeless Material, a 2016 Collectors of Wood Art publication, as well as Humaira Abid: Taboo, which was released in 2018 in conjunction with the traveling exhibition Humaira Abid: Searching for Home — which was on view at the Museum for Art in Wood in 2020.
Fred Kaplan-Mayer, Director of Operations (Pronouns: he/him )
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 105
As Director of Operations, Fred drafts and manages the operating budget, is responsible for allocating resources for the Museum’s programs, exhibitions, store and facility, and oversees day-to-day administrative tasks. He has worked for a number of non-profit arts organizations as senior management in varying disciplines–music, theater, and arts education to name a few. He has spent over two decades engaged in capacity building, strategic and financial planning, and stewardship of institutional funding and private sources of support. He also served as an online Adjunct Instructor for Drexel University’s Arts Administration and Museum Leadership graduate programs.
Katie Sorenson, Director of Outreach and Communications
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 103
Katie Sorenson is the Director of Outreach & Communications at the Museum for Art in Wood. She is responsible for developing educational programming, special events, and creating collaborative relationships within the community between individuals and organizations. While working in the museum and non-profit industry over the years, she has also maintained an active studio practice in metals and jewelry.
Laura Walsh, Registrar
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 102
As the Registrar for the Museum for Art in Wood, Laura is responsible for the collections management, registration, and database management of the permanent collection. She administers the loan program and works closely with curatorial and community outreach colleagues to produce exhibitions.
Amrut Mishra, Manager of Exhibitions
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 104
As the Manager of Exhibitions for the Museum for Art in Wood, Amrut coordinates the planning and production of exhibitions, including exhibition design, display and layout; production of signage; and organization of publications and ancillary program projects.
Before joining the Museum for Art in Wood, Amrut held positions at the Ackland Art Museum and Carolina Performing Arts while finishing his doctoral studies. From this research, he hopes to pursue accessible exhibition design guided by the teachings of Black and transnational feminist practitioners.
Marylynn Mack, Manager of Retail and Visitor Services
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 108
As an entrepreneur running retail stores of my own over the years, I have a passion for helping small businesses flourish. Throughout my career, I’ve designed, developed, and purchased products for major department stores to nimble nonprofits. Today, as a consultant and contractor, I help purpose-driven organizations create and facilitate a profitable retail strategy to help fund their missions and work collaboratively to create and reimagine an elevated customer experience. I earned a BS from the University of Delaware, majoring in Textile Chemistry & Design.
Elizabeth Shaw, Lead Visitor Services Associate
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 101
Elizabeth has been a visitor services associate since March 2022. Earning her bachelor’s degree in Art History from the University of Albany in 2017, she is passionate about contemporary art and aspires to be a huge financial supporter for the arts in the future. She is excited to work for the museum store and provide a quality shopping experience for visitors.
Aurea Castro, Visitor Services Associate
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 101
Aurea is an artist and entrepreneur who graduated from Temple University in 2021, having studied Painting, Art History, and Entrepreneurship. She aspires to have a nonprofit of her own that provides support and space for BIPOC creatives throughout the U.S. She joined the team in October 2022 and enjoys interacting with the residents of Old City, tourists, and artists that come through the museum. In her free time, she enjoys making art, hiking, learning about mental health and psychology, as well as caring for people’s fur babies.
Knox Peters, Visitor Services Associate and Education Assistant
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 101
Knox received an MA in Fine Art from the Digital University of the Arts, London, UK and has a wide range of experience in teaching, communications, and database management.
Vicky Post, Visitor Services Associate
[email protected]
215-923-8000 ext. 101
Vicky is an artist and educator with a background in painting, theatrical arts, and writing. She graduated from Penn State in 2022, majoring in Education and receiving high honors, including the title of Program Marshal. She enjoys connecting with visitors and watching them in turn interact with and connect with the artwork. She aspires to continue expanding her knowledge about art & is excited at the opportunity to give visitors a memorable experience where they can do the same.
Board of Trustees and Emeritus
Board Officers
Patricia Fowler, Esq., President
Patricia Fowler, Esq., President, [Ret.] Estate Lawyer
Patricia has held volunteer leadership positions at several non-profit educational organizations, including the Women’s Leadership Council at Brown University, where she received a BA in Political Science; the Benchmark Elementary School in Media, Pa.; the Church of the Redeemer in Bryn Mawr, Pa; the University of the Arts; and CraftNOW Philadelphia. She also served as co-chair for the University of the Arts’ 2016 Art Unleashed Exhibition & Sale. Fowler, who earned a Juris Doctorate from the University of Connecticut School of Law, previously practiced estate and trusts, land use, and residential real estate law at Cummings & Lockwood in Stamford, Conn., as well as at her own firm. She is a founding member of the Furniture Society with a collection of mid-century modern and American studio furniture.
John Conver Lutz, Vice President
John Conver Lutz, Vice President, General Manager, George Nakashima Woodworkers, SA
John has been in his current role of General Manager for the George Nakashima Woodworkers for almost two decades and is an established maker. He has taught woodworking as an adjunct at Maine College of Art and Rochester Institute of Technology. John recently completed the certificate program for LaSalle University’s nonprofit management program and has a BFA in Woodworking and Furniture Design from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Edward Bresler, Treasurer
Edward (Ed) Bresler, Treasurer, Principal, Bresler Consulting
Joshua Henry Aibel, Secretary
Joshua Henry Aibel, Secretary, Co-Director, Moderne Gallery
Board Members
Lisa Tremper Hanover
Lisa Tremper Hanover,Consultant, Museums & Cultural Organizations
Steering Committee, AAM Independent Museum Professionals
Lisa has forty years of non-profit experience with thirty-five years in senior leadership in the museum field. Most recently she served as Interim Director of Operations for the Philip & Muriel Berman Museum of Art at Ursinus College and was the Director & CEO of the James A. Michener Art Museum from 2012-2017. She has served as a consultant to many universities and nonprofit arts organizations and has consistently served on boards for her entire career.
Leonard J. Kreppel
Leonard (Len) J. Kreppel, Director of Asset Management, Benenson Capital Partners
Len is an avid collector and has targeted some of his gifts to acquire work for the Museum’s collection and to support artists and exhibition work. He is an advocate for the makers and artists who are involved with the Museum and is focused on the ways the Museum can help promote their work and aide exposure to a greater number of people. His expertise in finance has been as asset to the Museum as he chairs the Finance and Investment Commitees.
Rick Snyderman
Rick Snyderman, Principal, Snyderman-Works Art Consultants
Rick Snyderman has been active in the American Studio Craft movement since 1972, joining his wife Ruth in the operation of The Works Gallery, which she founded in 1965. The Snyderman Gallery, moved to Old City in 1992 and combined its operations with The Works Gallery in 1997 to become Snyderman-Works Galleries. The Snyderman-Works Galleries closed in 2017 and he and Ruth established their consultancy firm. A presence and influencer in the arts community and in Old City itself, Rick is not only known for his long career in the arts but as a civic leader and dedicated board member of several arts organizations.
Fabio Vitali
Fabio Vitali, Vice President of Marketing, Sofidel
As Vice President of Marketing at Sofidel, Fabio’s focus is on innovation, development and PR: he crafts, leads and ensures the execution of the go-to-market strategy, the E-commerce strategy, PR, and communication strategies.
Fabio is an Aresty Scholar at Wharton and holds a bachelor’s degree in Management and Business Administration from Catholic University in Italy, a Master’s Degree in Strategy and Company Governance from University of Pisa in Italy, and he has completed additional business studies at the University of Nice in France and the University of Bath in England.
Fabio previously held a variety of marketing and sales roles in different industries at Essity, Sofidel, Materis Paints, Yara and Novamont, where his achievements included consistently growing sales, starting new strategic relationships with key market players, repositioning the business unit on the most profitable market segments, opening new channels (digital), restructuring brand architecture, expanding brand presence in new markets, implementing competitive cost saving measures and creating more stakeholders engagement. Relative to volunteering, Fabio serves in the Sustainability Committees of ISSA and ANA, he is a board member at the local Catholic University US Alumni Chapter and frequently engages in marketing lectures. A true global citizen, Fabio is fluent in Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. When he is not traveling with his family, he enjoys recreational soccer and competing in triathlons.