The San Antonio Museum of Art, the Witte Museum, and the African American Museum, Dallas have recently announced new hires and promotions.

Mai Yamaguchi. Photo by Dan Dennehy, Head of Visual Resources and Photographer at the Minneapolis Institute of Art
Earlier this month the San Antonio Museum of Art (SAMA) announced they have hired Mai Yamaguchi as its Coates-Cowden-Brown Associate Curator of Asian Art. Ms. Yamaguchi most recently served as the Andrew W. Mellon Assistant Curator of Japanese and Korean Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. During her four years in that role, she organized several exhibitions, including Catch of the Day: Humans and Marine Animals in Japan (2024) and The Art of Literacy in Early Modern Japan (2023). She holds an MA and PhD in Art and Archaeology from Princeton University and a BA in Art History and Romance Language and Literatures from the University of Chicago.
In a press release Emily Ballew Neff, the Kelso Director at SAMA, remarked, “With SAMA’s exceptional collection of Asian art as a foundation, we are excited to see how Mai’s extensive experience and innovative curatorial vision will inspire fresh interpretations and enrich our institution’s offerings.”
Ms. Yamaguchi added, “SAMA’s Asian collection has great breadth and treasures, and I Iook forward to telling engaging and nuanced stories about the connections between cultures within Asia and beyond.”
Ms. Yamaguchi will join SAMA on March 3, 2025.
The Witte Museum in San Antonio has also announced that Dr. Michelle Cuellar Everidge has been appointed as the organization’s new CEO & President. Ms. Everidge joined the Witte in 2009 as a grant writer. She held that position for three and half years, before stepping away to pursue her doctoral degree. In 2017, she earned her PhD in History of American Civilization from the University of Delaware. She also holds an MA in History of Decorative Arts & Design from Parsons School of Design and an AB in Art & Archeology from Princeton University. In 2018, she returned to the Witte as Director of Strategic Initiatives. Over the years she has been promoted to higher leadership positions, most recently serving as the Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer.
In a press release, Ryan Pape, Chair of the Witte Board of Trustees, commented, “Michelle will lead the Witte with expertise and passion that honors the museum’s legacy. We are excited for her to work with the community to shape a bold future for the museum.”
Ms. Everidge said, “Leading the Witte Museum is both a personal and professional honor. The Witte has shaped who I am, and I am deeply committed to its mission of inspiring people to shape the future of Texas. I look forward to building on the foundational work of Marise McDermott and Dirk Elmendorf to ensure the Witte continues to serve as a center for curiosity, discovery, and transformation for generations to come.”
Ms. Everidge officially stepped into her new role, today, February 1, 2025.
The Board of Trustees of the African American Museum, Dallas has announced that Margie Johnson Reese, an arts professional with 45 years of experience, has been appointed Interim Director of the institution. Ms. Reese steps into this position following the recent retirement of Dr. Harry Robinson, Jr., who founded the museum 50 years ago.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Reese served as the Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of Dallas. In the early 2000s, she was the General Manager of Cultural Affairs for the City of Los Angeles and later worked as Program Officer of Media, Arts, and Culture at The Ford Foundation, where she led projects in 14 countries along the West African coast. She then returned to Dallas, where she was Vice President of Programming for Big Thought, an arts education organization. She then founded the Wichita Falls Alliance for Arts and Culture, where she has served as a Senior Consultant since 2022.
Ms. Reese founded MJR Partners, LLC, an arts management advisory service, where she has served as principal consultant for 15 years. In addition to the various positions she has held as an arts administrator, she has been an adjunct faculty member at Goucher College in Towson, Maryland, and a founding faculty member of the National Leaders of Color Fellowship Initiative, organized by Creative West. Ms. Reese holds an MFA in Theatre from Trinity University in San Antonio and a BA in Speech and Theatre from Washington State University in Pullman.
Vonciel Jones-Hill, the AAMD Board Chair, noted, “Ms. Reese’s history working closely with Dr. Robinson as a trusted colleague makes her the ideal candidate to take on this important role. She clearly has the knowledge and expertise that we need, and her commitment to the arts is unwavering.”
Ms. Reese began her role as Interim Executive Director of AAMD on January 6, 2025.