Rebekah Beaulieu, Ph.D., is a museum leader with more than two decades of experience in the cultural sector. She is an expert on issues of museum management, funding, finance, and compliance. Becky invites conversations regarding the future of museums and their commitment to the public trust.
Endowment Essentials for Museums is now available!
A stable and well-managed endowment can be the key to a museum’s financial strength. But how do you establish and maintain an endowment that is right for your organization and its future? With easily accessible language and case studies of real museums to illuminate major points, Endowment Essentials for Museums provides guidance on the establishment and oversight of endowments, including how to:
Plan for and build an endowment fund
Create opportunities to grow the endowment through fundraising and investment management
Incorporate endowment management into institutional planning
Foster transparency and shared knowledge about endowments between staff, trustees, and community members
Evaluate and modify endowments accurately and according to best practices.
Attending to endowment management at all stages, incorporating references from across the nonprofit spectrum, and designed to resonate with readers from a variety of backgrounds, Endowment Essentials for Museums invites forward-thinking museum professionals, trustees, and volunteers to enhance their knowledge about the endowments and the integral role it plays in the health of your museum.
Click here to purchase from Amazon!
Don’t forget Financial Fundamentals!
The first of its kind to offer a discussion of financial management particular to historic house museums, this book is a vital resource to preservationists, staff, volunteers, and board members of historic houses. A reference tool that is accessible in approach yet comprehensive in scope, this book takes you step by step through securing and managing a historic house museum for years to come.
In straightforward language, utilizing case studies from historic house museums, and providing sample documents to get you started, Financial Fundamentals for Historic House Museums guides you on how to:
Incorporate as a tax-exempt organization
Find historic property designation options and successfully apply
Understand contributed income opportunities and raise money
Create sustainable earned income opportunities
Understand basic accounting and financial planning to ensure the future of your historic house museum.
Click here to purchase from Amazon!
Becky is a skilled institutional leader and enthusiastic scholar with over twenty years of progressive experience in museum, educational, and cultural site environments. She serves as an industry voice in matters of mission-direct financial management and funding. Becky is skilled in organizational leadership, curatorial practice, fundraising, institutional planning, and board relations. Her accomplished academic background includes teaching at the university level and language training in French and Spanish. As a proactive and strategic administrator and passionate museum professional, Becky Beaulieu is committed to the museum field, its people, and its future.
Professional Experience
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Cincinnati, Ohio
2022-Present
President and chief executive officer of the Taft Museum of Art in downtown Cincinnati, a National Historic Landmark structure and host to one of the finest small art collections in the country.
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Old Lyme, Connecticut
2018—2022
Chief executive of the Florence Griswold Museum, an AAM-accredited historic campus, National Historic Landmark house museum, and modern exhibition space dedicated to American art, history, and landscape.
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2022-present
Series editor of the premier public history book series in the country, which has published texts related to historic preservation, interpretation, emerging trends, and professional standards since 1982.
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Brunswick, Maine
2014-2018
Chief financial and administration officer responsible for all operations of the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, an academic museum with an annual budget of $3.1 million that organizes between 15 and 20 exhibitions per calendar year.
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2014-2016
Managing Editor
Administrative editor for Modern Intellectual History, an academic journal published quarterly by Cambridge University Press.
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Winchester, MA
2009-2013
As the organization’s inaugural Executive Director, managed all operations of the Winchester Historical Society and its cultural site, the Sanborn House Historical and Cultural Center. Directed all development, outreach, marketing, collections, and programming activities of the organization.ion text goes here
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Fellowship in the Office of the Director, The Morris-Jumel Mansion (New York, NY)
Manager of Individual Giving, Lookingglass Theatre Company (Chicago, IL)
Development Associate and Campaign Coordinator, Jewish Community Centers of Chicago (Chicago, IL)
Teaching Assistant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (Milwaukee, WI)
Interim Collections Manager, Pabst Mansion (Milwaukee, WI)
Researcher, Milwaukee County Historical Society (Milwaukee, WI)
Gallery Assistant. DeLind Gallery of Fine Art (Milwaukee, WI)
Curatorial Intern, National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, (Washington, DC)
Education Intern, Milwaukee Art Museum (Milwaukee, WI)
Curatorial Intern, Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland, ME)
Teaching Experience
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“Introduction to Museum Finance”
Originator of the first American undergraduate course in museum finance.
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“Finance…with Heart”
“Nonprofit Financial Management”
“Aligning Mission and Money: Budgets and Operations”
“Aligning Mission and Money: Planning and Fund Management”
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“Introduction to Financial Management”
“Financial Structures and Strategy”
“Introduction to Museum Endowments”
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“Finance Basics for Archives Managers”
“Advanced Topics in Financial Management”
Professional Service and Appointments
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Board of Directots (2024-present)
Accreditation Commissioner (2019-2023)
MAP/Accreditation Peer Reviewer (2015-present)
Chair, Historic Houses and Sites Network (2015-2022)
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Treasurer (2020-present)
Chair, Finance Committee (2020-present)
Chair, StEPS Enhancement: Finance and Fraud Prevention (2017)
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Vice President (2019-2022)
Chair, Advocacy Committee (2019-2022)
Chair, Nominating Committee (2019)
Finance and Audit Committee (2016-2019)
Board of Trustees (2016-2022)
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Board Member, CreativeOhio (2024-present)
Board Member, Cincinnati Observatory (2024-present)
Appointee, Connecticut Blue Ribbon Commission on Arts and Tourism (2018-2022)
Grant Peer Review Service:
National Endowment for the Humanities (2018-present)
National Endowment for the Arts (2018-present)
Institute of Museum and Library Services (2017-present)
Publications
Endowment Essentials for Museums (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022)
The State of Museums: Voices from the Field (Co-Editor; MuseumsEtc., 2018)
Financial Fundamentals for Historic House Museums (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017)
Additional Publications/Chapters:
“Museums and Control Systems” in Financial Management for Museums (Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2024)
“Mission-Based, Socially Conscious Investment Strategies” in Financial Management for Museums (Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2024)
Media
AAM Welcomes Six New Board Members and New Board Leadership (AAM, 2024)
Plans for the Taft Museum of Art. (WVXU, 2023)
Cincinnati 300: The Region’s Most Powerful Business Leaders (Cincinnati Magazine, 2023)
Cincinnati Museum Directors Encourage Discovery, Dialogue (Movers & Makers, 2023)
New Cincy arts leaders: It's all in the story (Cincinnati Business Journal, 2023)
What Role Could Museums Play in the Future? (WVXU, 2023)
New Arts Leaders: It's All in the Story (ArtsWrap with Alecia Podcast, 2023)
Women's Role in Historic Preservation (Cincinnati Preservation Association, 2023)
Featured Speaker: Rebekah Beaulieu (Rotary Club of Cincinnati, 2023)
Showcase with Barbara Kellar: Rebekah Beaulieu (PBS, 2023)
30 New Bosses to Watch (Cincinnati Business Journal, 2023)
New Leadership for Venerable Institution (Sophisticated Living Cincinnati, 2022)
New Day, New Dawn, New Life (Cincinnati Enquirer, 2022)
Wisconsin native named Taft CEO (Movers & Makers Cincinnati, 2022)
Why Bezos Won't Get Sacklered by the Smithsonian (Forbes, 2022)
Met Museum Removes Sackler Name From Wing Over Opioid Ties (New York Times, 2021)
Museum Open House Interview with Rebekah Beaulieu (NewTV, 2021)
So You Want to Work in a Museum? Museum Director Profile (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019)
Florence Griswold Museum's New Director Looks Toward the Future (The Day, 2018)
Rebekah Beaulieu To Lead Florence Griswold Museum (Hartford Courant, 2017)
Invited Speaking Engagements
“Introduction to Museum Management.” Harvard University School of Continuing Studies, April 30, 2024.
“Budget Planning for Museums.” George Washington University, March 26, 2024.
“Featured Speaker: Rebekah Beaulieu.” Cincinnati Art Club, February 17, 2024.
“Ohioans in Space.” Capital Square Foundation, January 26, 2024.
“The Future of the Taft Museum of Art.” Cincinnati Town Club, December 6, 2023.
“Expanding Climate Action in the Visual Arts.” Helen Frankenthaler Foundation’s Climate Initiative, September 22, 2023.
“Taft Museum of Art: A Talk with Dr. Rebekah Beaulieu.” University of Cincinnati. June 7, 2023.
“Boost Your Budget Acumen: Tools for Building Your Financial Knowledge.” American Alliance of Museums Annual Conference, May 2022.
“Emerging Professionals’ Roadmap: Navigating the Job Market.” American Alliance of Museums online webinar, January 20, 2022.
“Challenges, Opportunities, and Growth: How to Build an Actionable Strategic Plan Despite a Global Pandemic and Resistance to Change.” New England Museum Association. Virtual Conference Presentation, November 19, 2021.
“Financial Medley.” New England Museums Association. Virtual Conference Presentation, November 17, 2021.
“Celebrating Museums.” Keynote Address, New England Museum Association. Virtual Conference Presentation, November 19, 2020.
“Ask the Historic House Museum Doctor.” American Alliance of Museums. Virtual Conference Presentation, June 4, 2020.
“Managing Your Museum Career Through COVID-19.” American Alliance of Museums. Virtual Conference Presentation, June 2, 2020.
“Women in Leadership.” Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Connecticut. Webinar, May 14, 2020.
“Financial Planning in Uncertain Times.” Society of American Archivists. Webinar, May 6, 2020.
“Resource Management and Financial Planning in a Time of Crisis (Part Two).” New England Museum Association. Webinar, May 5, 2020.
“Planning for an Uncertain Financial Future (Part Two).” American Association of State and Local History. Webinar, April 20, 2020.
“#Trendswatch2020: Financial Sustainability.” American Alliance of Museums. Tweetchat, April 16, 2020.
“Resource Management and Financial Planning in a Time of Crisis (Part One).” New England Museum Association. Webinar, April 14, 2020.
“Presenting for an Uncertain Financial Future (Part One).” American Association of State and Local History. Webinar, April 2, 2020.
“Women and Museum Leadership.” Mystic Seaport Museum. Mystic, Connecticut, September 3, 2019.
“Break the Budget Bubble: How to Build, Read, and Evaluate Budgets.” American Association of State and Local History. Webinar, March 20, 2019.
“Financial Sustainability at Your Historic Site.” American Alliance of Museums Historic Houses and Sites Summit. Miami, Florida, February 5, 2019.
“The Florence Griswold Museum and the Future.” First Congregational Church of Old Lyme. Old Lyme, Connecticut, January 13, 2019.
“The Leadership Partnership: How to Build a Strong Relationship with Your Board Chair.” New England Museum Association Annual Conference. Stamford, Connecticut, November 8, 2018.
“Succession Planning: Is Your Organization Prepared?” New England Museum Association Annual Conference. Stamford, Connecticut, November 7, 2018.
“The Florence Griswold Museum: Past, Present, Future.” Niantic Rotary Club. Lyme, Connecticut, September 26, 2018.
“Fearless Finance and Fundraising.” Connecticut League of History Organizations. Old Lyme, Connecticut, September 24, 2018.
“Investing in Your Financial Literacy.” New England Museum Association Workshop. Portsmouth, New Hampshire, June 15, 2018.
“Making Sense of Numbers: Storytelling and Finance at Historic Sites.” New England Museum Association Annual Conference. Falmouth, Massachusetts, October 26, 2017.
“The National Register of Historic Places and Its History.” Daughters of the American Revolution. Brunswick, Maine, June 27, 2017.
“Developing Effective Cure Documents: Collections Management Policy.” New England Museum Association Annual Conference. Mystic, Connecticut, November 9, 2016.
“The Future of Historic House Museums.” Pejepscot Historical Society, Brunswick, Maine, May 25, 2016.
“The Grant Process: How to Succeed.” Waterville Public Library, Waterville, Maine, February 25, 2016.
“The Role of Memory in Contemporary Visual Art.” ThinkArt: Memory Conference (Respondent). Boston, Massachusetts, October 15, 2011.
“The Role of Architecture in the Cultural Exchange Between New York and Boston.” The Winchester Historical Society Annual Meeting (Keynote Speaker). Winchester, Massachusetts, May 17, 2011.
“Manufacturing ‘English Country House’ Style in New England: The Great House at Castle Hill in Ipswich, Massachusetts.” The Boston University Americanist Forum. Boston, Massachusetts, March 30, 2011.
“The Space Between: New York Architects and the Domestic Architecture of Greater Boston, 1895-1930.” College Art Association Annual Conference. New York, New York, February 9, 2011.