Dunedin Fine Art Center CEO Andrea Nalls Selected for Inaugural American Alliance of Museums Leadership Academy
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 2, 2026
From: Dunedin Fine Art Center
Contact: Cassy Combs @ cassy@dfac.org or 727.298.DFAC, x245
National executive program will bring together 40 museum leaders from across the country while helping shape DFAC’s next chapter of growth and innovation
DUNEDIN, FL — The Dunedin Fine Art Center (DFAC) is pleased to announce that Andrea Nalls, President and CEO, has been selected for the inaugural Museum Leadership Academy, a new executive leadership program launched by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) in partnership with Michigan State University and with generous support from E.A. Michelson Philanthropy.
Nalls is one of just 40 museum CEOs and senior executives selected from more than 140 applicants nationwide to participate in the Academy. Designed specifically for museum leaders navigating an increasingly complex cultural landscape, the program combines academic research, practical leadership experience, and peer learning to explore institutional strategy, financial sustainability, organizational leadership, innovation, and the future of the museum field.
For DFAC, Nalls’ participation represents an opportunity to bring national-level leadership perspectives, new strategies, and insights from museum leaders across the country directly back to the organization and its community.
“I am honored to be selected for this inaugural cohort and excited to learn alongside such an accomplished group of museum leaders,” said Nalls. “For me, the greatest value will be bringing that learning back to DFAC. We are in an exciting period of growth and reinvention, and I want to continue building an organization that is financially strong, adaptable, deeply connected to our community, and positioned to serve future generations.”
Nalls has served as President and CEO of the Dunedin Fine Art Center for the past three years, leading the organization through a significant period of organizational transformation. During her tenure, DFAC has focused on strengthening its team and organizational culture, rebuilding trust, modernizing fundraising practices, and implementing new digital and technological tools.
“Today, I am most proud of the team we have built,” said Nalls. “They are talented, collaborative, and energized by the opportunities ahead. This experience reinforced my belief that the success of any museum begins with its people. Facilities, collections, exhibitions, and programs matter, but it is people who bring an institution’s mission to life.”
That belief has shaped Nalls’ approach to leadership throughout her career and is central to her vision for DFAC’s future. In 2020, she authored Come, Stay, Learn, Play: A Guide to Making the Museum Experience, published in partnership with the American Alliance of Museums Press. The book examines how museums can create meaningful experiences for visitors and communities.
Nalls’ application to the Museum Leadership Academy focused on DFAC’s next phase of growth and her goal of strengthening the organization’s long-term resilience. Her proposed work following the Academy will focus on developing a long-range organizational experience plan centered on leadership, financial sustainability, and a deeper understanding of DFAC’s visitors and students.
The selection committee considered applicants’ readiness for executive leadership learning, potential impact on their institutions and the museum field, and the quality of their identified leadership challenges and proposed projects. The committee also sought to create a diverse cohort representing different museum types, organizational sizes, geographic regions, career experiences, and perspectives.
“The museum field is experiencing tremendous change, and strong leadership is essential to ensuring museums remain vibrant, relevant, and resilient,” said Nalls. “I see this opportunity not just as professional development for me, but as an investment in DFAC and in the future of the institution we are building together.” Through Nalls’ participation, DFAC will be represented alongside museum leaders from a wide range of institutions and regions, creating opportunities for collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and new perspectives that can benefit the Art Center well beyond the Academy itself.
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