Aug
20

Advisory Council named for new Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum

Actress Linda Carter, designer Tory Burch and groundbreaking tennis icon Billie Jean King are among the citizen members of the council.

Sided by side head shots of Carter and King
Linda Carter (left) and Billie Jean King

Secretary Bunch announced today that the Board of Regents has named most of the members of the members of the 25-member advisory council for the new Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum. The council comprises 19 citizens, the Smithsonian Secretary, a member of the Board of Regents and four members appointed by congressional leadership. Two Senate members and three citizen members of the council are pending and will be announced soon. The council will advise the Regents and make recommendations on the location, planning, design and construction of the museum; help with private fundraising; and provide for the maintenance of the new museum’s collections. A site-selection process is underway. The architectural/engineering firm Ayers Saint Gross will conduct the site evaluations for the museum and for the National Museum of the American Latino; both were established by Congress Dec. 27, 2020.

Group photo of women, several wearing pink
The Congressional Commission members who sponsored legislation for the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum: From left, Mary Boies, Marilyn Musgrave, Kathy Wills Wright, Maria Socorro Pesqueira, Emily Rafferty, Bridget Bush, Jane Abraham and Pat Mitchell (Photo by Vincent Ricardel, courtesy The Washington Post)

“I am excited to join such an esteemed collection of leaders on the inaugural board of the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Museum,” Bunch said. “Their guidance, along with that of Lisa Sasaki, the museum’s interim director, will be invaluable as we bring to life this new museum that aims to break barriers and shatter expectations by demonstrating a passion for gender equity and uplifting women’s voices.”

The members of the advisory council are:*

  • Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian (ex officio)
  • Jane Abraham, former chairman of the Congressional Commission to Study the Potential of a National Women’s History Museum
  • Catherine Allgor, president of the Massachusetts Historical Society
  • Former Ambassador Barbara Barrett, member of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents
  • Mary Boies, counsel to Boies Schiller Flexner LLP
  • Tory Burch, executive chairman and chief creative officer of Tory Burch LLC
  • Lynda Carter, actress, singer, songwriter and producer
  • Jean Case, chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and The Case Foundation
  • Melissa Fetter, former vice president of JP Morgan
  • Edna Kane-Williams, chief diversity officer at AARP
  • Billie Jean King, winner of 39 Grand Slam tennis titles and founder of the Billie Jean King Leadership Initiative
  • Singleton McAllister, of counsel at Husch Blackwell LLP
  • Penny Pritzker, founder and chairman of PSP Partners and former U.S. secretary of commerce
  • Abbe Raven, chairman emeritus of A+E Networks and former chair of the National Museum of American History
  • Vivian Riefberg, director emeritus with McKinsey & Company and David C. Walentas Jefferson Scholars Chair at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia
  • Martine Rothblatt, founder of United Therapeutics and SiriusXM
  • S. Mona Sinha, co-founder of Raising Change and founder of the Asian Women’s Leadership University
  • Cara Sylvester, executive vice president and chief marketing and digital officer for Target Corporation

*The appointment of three additional candidates will be announced soon.

The Congressional members are:*

  • Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)
  • Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN)

*Senate members are pending.

“As someone who helped bring a museum to life on the National Mall, I know firsthand that an advisory board is indispensable,” Bunch continued. “We have been fortunate to enlist an extraordinary group to help envision, create and guide this new museum, enabling the Smithsonian to expand the breadth and vividness of the American story by illuminating the essential contributions women have made to our nation. 

”It is appropriate that we are taking these next steps in the Smithsonian’s long journey as we celebrate our 175th year, and I am excited to anticipate the future as we continue our mission of collecting, reflecting and embracing the diversity of the American story.“

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Posted: 20 August 2021
About the Author:

Alex di Giovanni is primarily responsible for "other duties as assigned" in the Office of Communications and External Affairs. She has been with the Smithsonian since 2006 and plans to be interred in the Smithson crypt.