THE NEW CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO) at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Ga., is Bergan Burnett. A longstanding Atlanta resident and member of the museum, Burnett has a record of leading financial and accounting operations at nonprofits.
In the role of CFO of the High Museum, she is responsible for financial operations, planning, and reporting and developing the institution’s overall financial strategy. Her appointment was announced Aug. 6. She officially started at the museum on July 8.
“We are delighted to bring Bergan on board as a member of our senior leadership team,” High Museum Director Rand Suffolk said in a statement.
“Bergan comes to the museum with more than 15 years of sophisticated accounting experience and a proven track record of leadership in the non-profit sector. As a member of the High for many years, she also brings a passion for our mission and familiarity with our work that make her well-positioned to help us grow in a fiscally responsible and sustainable way.”
“[Bergan Burnett] brings a passion for our mission and familiarity with our work that make her well-positioned to help us grow in a fiscally responsible and sustainable way.” — High Museum Director Rand Suffolk
Burnett is a certified public accountant (CPA). She joined the High Museum from the Atlanta Humane Society where she spent two years as vice president of finance. Previously, she was controller at Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta. Burnett began her career at Kearney & Company in Atlanta, a certified public accounting firm. At Kearney, she earned her CPA license and rose to a management position with responsibilities including financial reporting for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the national public health agency of the United States. She received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Georgia State University.
In a statement, Burnett said she was “honored” to became CFO of the High Museum. She added: “The High’s rich programming and unique exhibitions, which are designed to educate, inspire and stretch the imagination, have always resonated with me. I look forward to playing a key role in the High’s growth as a premier institution for art and culture in Atlanta.” CT
IMAGE: Bergan Burnett. | Courtesy High Museum of Art
Current exhibitions at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta include “Patterns in Abstraction: Black Quilts from the High’s Collection” (June 28, 2024-Jan. 5, 2025) and “Tyler Mitchell: Idyllic Space” (June 21-Dec. 1, 2024)
BOOKSHELF
Over the past few years, the High Museum of Art has presented an array of exhibitions featuring African American artists. Exhibition catalogs published to accompany the shows include “Hear Me Now: The Black Potters of Old Edgefield, South Carolina,” “Sonya Clark: We Are Each Other,” A Long Arc: Photography and the American South since 1845, and “Really Free: The Radical Art of Nellie Mae Rowe.” The selections also include “Stephen Burks: Shelter in Place,” “Deana Lawson,” and “Bob Thompson: This House Is Mine.”
