Presenter

LaNesha DeBardelaben

Executive Director, Northwest African American Museum

Michigan-native LaNesha DeBardelaben has spent her career in education and museum work. She relocated to Seattle in December 2017 when she was appointed Executive Director of the Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) in Seattle. Under LaNesha’s strategic leadership, NAAM is repositioning itself for accelerated growth, community and regional engagement, and national accreditation. Through the hard work of a strong team, they have initiated new impactful partnerships and have expanded NAAM’s educational programming. In 2019, NAAM was one of only 15 museums in the country as a finalist for the nation’s highest and most prestigious award – the 2019 National Medal for Museum Service Award. Additionally, NAAM won the 2019 Exhibition of the Year Award from the Associaiton of King County Historical Organizations for its Bold as Love: Jimi Hendrix at Home exhibtion.

Prior to relocating to Seattle, LaNesha was Senior Vice President of Education & Exhibitions at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit, Michigan, the nation’s second largest African American museum. Her 15+ year career in museums began at the National Museum of Kenya in Africa, and she has studied museums and libraries internationally in Ghana, South Africa, England, Germany, and Israel.

As a public historian, LaNesha has contributed scholarly writings to national publications. She is the national President of the Association of African American Museums (AAAM) Board of Directors. LaNesha also serves on the national Board of Directors of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and locally she serves on the Board of Directors of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Our Sponsors

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We offer comprehensive not-for-profit development and planning services, focused on the specialized needs of arts and culture clients. Having served cultural institutions of all sizes as both advancement professionals and consultants, we are ready to work with you to strengthen your fundraising and deepen your organization’s impact.

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Spektrix is a complete solution for ticketing, marketing, fundraising, and CRM, designed specifically for the performing arts. With world-class technology and support, Spektrix helps 650+ organizations across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. grow their revenue and deepen patron relationships. Powerful, intuitive software, at-a-glance insights, frequent and seamless upgrades, training, support, and strategic consultation with experienced professionals come at no additional cost - making Spektrix the fastest-growing solution for arts organizations today.
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Arts organizations that put their audience in the spotlight will fill their houses. We work with you to make sense of the chaos and create a plan that gets your audience excited for your next show.

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