The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center’s executive director is departing her current position for a job at the National Endowment for the Humanities, the center announced this week.
Briann Greenfield, who has led the historic house museum since June 2018, will become director of the division of preservation and access at the NEH, an independent federal agency that supports research and education programs in the humanities.
“I have been both happy and humbled to work at the Stowe Center, ensuring that heritage resources remain relevant, vital and accessible in building a more just world,” Greenfield said in a statement. “I’m thrilled by the opportunity to put these principles to use at the federal level.”
Greenfield’s last day in her current role will be May 11, according to center officials.
“We are grateful for Briann’s extraordinary leadership of the Stowe Center during an historic time,” said Board Chair Susan Johnson. “She’s leaving us a stronger institution, better positioned to serve the public than ever before. We wish her every success in her new endeavor.”
The center’s board said it will appoint an interim director for the time being and conduct a national search for a permanent replacement.
Board members credited Greenfield with strengthening the operational and fiscal foundation of the Stowe Center, as well as launching plans to digitize the museum’s collection to make it more accessible.
During her tenure, the museum received a $1.6 million grant from the state to fund repairs and upgrades intended to bring the property into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Greenfield also shepherded the center through the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining programming and education work.
The Stowe Center reopened to the public on April 8 for Thursday, Friday and Saturday visits.
