Matthias Waschek
Jean and Myles McDonough Director
Matthias Waschek was appointed Director of the Worcester Art Museum in November 2011. Originally from Germany, he has a Ph.D in art history from Bonn University. Throughout his 20-year international career in the museum world, he has worked to connect the broader public with new thinking about art history and archeology—as Head of Academic Programs at the Louvre Museum in Paris from 1992 to 2003, as Executive Director of the Pulitzer Arts Foundation St. Louis, Missouri from 2003 - 2011, and now at the Worcester Art Museum. In addition, he has published extensively on French art of the 19th century, as well as on 20th-century and contemporary art.
Phyllis Boot
Executive Assistant
Phyllis Boot joined WAM's leadership team in January 2018. She oversees all daily activities of the Director's office and supports special projects of the Jean and Myles McDonough Director, as well as major aspects of Board engagement and management. Throughout her career, she has served as an executive assistant to numerous CEOs in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to joining WAM, Boot was Executive Assistant of the CEO of VNA Care and of the Chief Human Resources Officer at Atrius Health. She also served as the Office and Systems Manager at The Wayland Group, a consulting practice serving non-profits. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Boston University.
Marillyn Earley
Chief Advancement Officer
Marillyn Earley has worked in the development field for more than 25 years, including 8 at the Worcester Art Museum. Prior to rejoining WAM in 2017, she served as WAM's Annual Fund Director from 1995 to 1998 and as Director of Development from 1998 to 2001. She led the Centennial Campaign at the Worcester Art Museum that raised more than $30 million to building WAM's endowment. From 1998 to 2017, Earley was the Director of Advancement at Worcester Academy where she led the completion of their Honor the Legacy campaign and initiated and led their recently completed ONWARD campaign. She has a bachelor's degree from Boston University and has completed additional course work in education and non-profit management.
Gareth Salway
Director of Collections Services
Gareth Salway is responsible for collections management, overseeing the Museum's Registration and Exhibition Design & Fabrication Departments, as well as the Library and Archives. Salway has been involved with museum collections management for 25 years, beginning his career in the United Kingdom where he worked in both government-owned and independent museums. Prior to coming to WAM, Gareth worked on the development of international collections management standards and served on the Board of Collections Trust, the UK's national body for collections management. Gareth has a Master's Degree in Museum Studies from the University of Leicester and joined the Worcester Art Museum in 2015.
Mark Spuria
Chief Financial Officer
Mark Spuria oversees all of WAM's financial operations, with an emphasis on assuring alignment with the Museum's strategic goals. He has more than 20 years of experience in financial management and administration in the arts, having served most recently as the General Manager (2016 – present) and CFO (2011 - 2016) for the Maynard, Massachusetts-based company Verne Q. Powell Flutes, where he worked since 1996. In addition to his financial skills, Spuria has a love of the arts: he served as the Principal Clarinetist for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra for seven years, and has held positions on a number of different non-profit boards, including ARTSWorcester, the Worcester Chamber Music Society, and as a Corporator and member of the Finance Committee for the Worcester Art Museum.
Marnie P. Weir
Director of Learning and Engagement
Marnie Weir oversees the full scope of educational and public programs for all audiences— including studio art classes for adults, youth, and teens—and leads a team made up of administrative staff, Museum educators, 54 part-time studio art faculty, and 60 volunteer docents. With the Museum's encyclopedic collection as the foundation, Weir leads a collaborative focus on engaging and building diverse audiences, connecting visitors of all ages and abilities with inspiring art and its enduring relevance to daily life. She most recently held the position of Director of Public Education & Visitor Services at The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in New York City. Weir received an MS degree in Museum Education from Bank Street College of Education and a BA in Art History from Hobart & William Smith Colleges.
Claire C. Whitner
Director of Curatorial Affairs and the James A. Welu Curator of European Art
Claire Whitner brings together WAM's curators and conservators to collaborate on new exhibitions and installations that address a central element of the Museum's mission: connecting visitors, communities, and cultures through experiences with art. Whitner takes a leading role in shaping the Museum's collecting efforts, working with the Director and curators to identify and secure gifts and purchases that address specific collection needs. She also oversees the Museum's ongoing work to reexamine installations in permanent collections galleries. She has expertise in German modernism and 17th-century Dutch painting and holds a PhD in Germanic languages from the University of California, Los Angeles. Prior to coming to the Worcester Art Museum, she served as Assistant Director of Curatorial Affairs at the Davis Museum at Wellesley College. She has also held curatorial and research positions at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Skirball Cultural Center, and the Getty Research Institute at the J. Paul Getty Museum.
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