Newfields, the sprawling campus that hosts the Indianapolis Museum of Art, has named Le Monte Booker its new President and CEO. Booker will commence his role in October.
Booker comes from the Field Museum in Chicago where he served its CFO and directed the institution’s finance, protection services and facilities planning and operations. At Newfields, he will be working alongside Belinda Tate, Melvin & Bren Simon Director of the Indianapolis Museum of Art.
Booker’s appointment follows Colette Pierce Burnette, the first Black American woman to lead the institution who resigned last November for reasons unspecified, and Michael Kubacki who served as the interim President and CEO during the nine-month gap.
Newfields was previously led by Charles L. Venable, who stepped down following a backlash over a job listing posted by the museum which highlighted a need to maintain the museum’s ‘traditional, core, white art audience’ despite expressing a desire to reach a ‘more diverse audience’.