The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) has appointed Kristen Shepherd as its new president and CEO, effective February 9. Shepherd, 54, previously served as executive director and CEO of the Museum of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg, Florida, and held leadership roles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Whitney Museum in New York, and Sotheby’s in New York and London. She also runs her own consulting firm, Shepherd Lane + Associates. Shepherd takes over at a challenging time for PAFA, which closed its college last May due to rising costs and low enrollment, though it continues to offer K-12 and continuing education programs.
This appointment matters because PAFA is the nation’s first fine arts school and museum, founded in 1805, with a storied alumni roster including Mary Cassatt, Thomas Eakins, and Robert Henri. Shepherd’s experience across major museums and auction houses positions her to navigate the institution’s financial and structural challenges while overseeing the reopening of its historic Frank Furness and George Hewitt-designed building after renovations. Her leadership will be critical in shaping PAFA’s future as a force in American art, especially as it mounts new exhibitions like “Threaded Currents” and plans for “Bodies and Souls: Kohler Collection” and “A Nation of Artists.”