Shalini Le Gall, deputy director for curatorial affairs at the Portland Museum of Art in Maine, has been named director of the Ackland Art Museum at UNC-Chapel Hill. She will begin her new role on September 8, 2025, bringing over 20 years of experience in museums and higher education, including expertise in exhibit curation, acquisitions, strategic planning, and community engagement. Le Gall succeeds a period of growth at the Portland Museum of Art, where she oversaw more than $10 million in acquisitions and coordinated traveling exhibitions across the U.S.
This appointment matters because it places an experienced academic and museum leader at the helm of a key university art museum during a period of proposed expansion and increased community outreach. Le Gall’s background in interdisciplinary collaboration and teaching aligns with the Ackland’s mission to integrate art into university life and extend its impact beyond campus. Her leadership is expected to strengthen the museum’s role as a cultural bridge between the University of North Carolina and the broader public.