AFTER LIVING IN LOS ANGELES for 15 years, Keishia Gu said she is “delighted” to join the J. Paul Getty Museum as head of education. The museum announced her appointment today. Gu will lead programs for both educators and students at the Getty Trust and the Getty Villa. She begins her new position in early September.
Gu brings a broad base of academic experience to the Getty. Her background includes two decades of K-12 and university education, both as a teacher and an administrator. Over the course of her career, she has created and led a variety of programs and policies focused on curriculum development, strategic planning, diversity, student recruitment, and college access. Most recently, she was director of admissions and enrollment at Geffen Academy at UCLA.
Lisa Clements, the Getty’s assistant director for education, public programs and interpretive content, said in a statement, “Keishia excels at connecting high-level strategic planning, processes, and partnerships to very individual educational outcomes of access, inquiry, and growth. Her thoughtful approach is a good match for the quality and character of our educational programs, which span kindergarten through University institutional initiatives, teen programs, and on-site education for school groups and visitors.”
Gu has a bachelor’s degree in English from Georgetown University and earned a master’s degree in education from Harvard University.
“I could not be more delighted to be joining the Getty Museum,” Gu said. “The Getty is known for its expansive collection, dedication to research and scholarship, and is a beacon of art and culture in Los Angeles and beyond. I see museums as among the most powerful academic tools—as communicators of culture and history, and I recognize artists as catalysts for social change.” CT
TOP IMAGE: Keishia Gu. | Photo courtesy J. Paul Getty Museum
BOOKSHELF
Forthcoming in October, Allan deSouza’s “How Art Can Be Thought: A Handbook for Change” calls for radical change in art education. Edited by Melissa Chiu, director of the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum, “Making a Museum in the 21st Century” considers the most pressing issues art institutions, including “increased expectations for museums to create new ways for visitors to interact with art.”
