Heidi Holder, Ph.D. joins the Queens Museum as Director of Education

The Queens Museum is thrilled to announce that Heidi Holder has been appointed as its Director of Education.

Heidi will lead the Museum’s largest department, which offers free and low-cost educational opportunities for all ages from different cultural backgrounds, and with diverse learning capabilities. The educational programs create meaningful experiences for learners via exhibitions and various artist projects with an emphasis on collaboration, inclusivity, and ties to the local and global community. These programs include a plethora of initiatives such as exhibition tours; studio art classes; family art workshops; arts programs for adult immigrants who are new to the city; and initiatives designed for cancer survivors and individuals affected by physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disabilities that are led by full-time certified art therapists. Additionally, partnership programs place
the Museum’s teaching artists in the classrooms of 15 public schools to conduct focused art residencies. Over 30,000 children are serviced by the department’s eclectic programming, which have been lauded for helping to create and sustain vital and dynamic interactions for the community.

With over 15 years of experience in education management, Heidi has held senior positions in cultural institutions and higher education in addition to consulting for various educational entities.

“We are delighted that Heidi has joined the Queens Museum team. Given her academic and teaching accomplishments she certainly brings extraordinary talents and knowledge to our award-winning educational programs. Over the next several years, particularly in the evolution of our programs with the Queens Library, Heidi will be a major asset in imagining and implementing big ideas that are super-relevant to our times.” says Laura Raicovich, Executive Director of the Queens Museum.

Prior to joining the Queens Museum, Heidi served as Director of Education at the Museum for African Art, where she developed educational and public programs and engaged in fundraising to support public, community, and school programs. As a senior education administrator in higher education at Brooklyn College and at City College, Heidi was involved in fiscal management, training and coaching, and developing sustainable community relationships to create, support and grow STEM and student engagement programs.

Heidi frequently blogs about a variety of education topics including math, teacher training and diversity. She has published student and teachers’ texts in the visual and performing arts such as Facing the Mask: An Introduction to African Art and Culture (Grades Pre-K to 6), and Face to Face: Integrated Study of the Visual and Performing Art (Grades 7 to 12). In 2015, Heidi was named a LinkedIn Top Voice in Education, which recognizes excellence in writing about education on the LinkedIn blogging platform. She holds a BA in Art History and Painting from Brooklyn College and a Ph.D. in Education from The Graduate Center, City University of New York, where her research focused on the role of school curriculum in fostering peace and social integration in multi-ethnic societies.