Continuing its series of appointments, Brooklyn Museum in New York has selected Adjoa Jones de Almeida and Carolyn Royston for two new positions.
Adjoa Jones de Almeida will be the deputy director for learning and social impact at the museum, while Carolyn Royston will be the deputy director for engagement. Anne Pasternak (Director, Brooklyn Museum) said in a statement: “Adjoa and Carolyn are trailblazing arts leaders, and we are confident that they will make great contributions to advancing our commitments to audiences near and far and to deepening our social-change efforts.”
Adjoa Jones de Almeida has been a part of the Brooklyn Museum since 2013. She was made the director of its education division in 2016. Jones de Almeida has also founded two organizations in the past – Sista II Sista (1996) and Diáspora Solidária (mid-2000s) – both while living in Brazil. In addition to her responsibilities towards the education program, she will now also lead the community outreach and engagement programs of the museum. One of her goals will be to address issues that impact the museum and the locality explicitly – from racism and mass criminalization to climate change. After her appointment, Jones de Almeida said in a statement: “I am excited to help reimagine the role of museums in people’s lives through innovative collaborations centering the needs and perspectives of POC and working-class communities, while continuing our commitment to widespread access, inclusion, and dialogue across difference.”
Carolyn Royston, on the other hand, is currently serving as the chief experience officer at the Cooper Hewitt institute of Smithsonian in New York. Prior to this, she has worked in leadership positions at museums like Isabella Gardner Museum in Boston and Imperial War Museum in the UK. In her new role, Royston will focus on increasing audience engagement at the museum, particularly through digital mediums.