Museum of Design Atlanta Welcomes New Executive Director

Just two years ago, the Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA) moved to the Midtown Arts Corridor. Today, the museum recently announced some internal changes with new leadership and new board members who will bring the museum into its next phase of growth and development.  

Former Executive Director Brenda Galina has stepped down after five years, during which she built an iconic brand and image for MODA. Working closely with the board of directors, she led the museum’s 2011 move to its state-of-the-art facility in Midtown. Under her leadership, the museum hosted record-setting exhibitions and founded the highly successful campMODA LEGO Robotics program.

Having achieved the goals of settling the museum into its new home and expanding the board of directors, Galina leaves the museum well positioned for its next phase of growth under new leadership. Galina plans to continue to focus on her education consulting practice and new opportunities in the field of education.

MODA welcomes Laura Flusche, Ph.D. as its new Executive Director.  Flusche joined MODA in 2010 as Associate Director after 15 years living in Italy, where she served as Assistant Academic Dean of an American university program, taught art history and archaeology to university undergraduates, and worked on an archaeological excavation in the heart of the Eternal City.

While in Rome, Flusche also founded and led The Institute of Design + Culture, a non-profit arts and culture educational organization. She has studied Arts Administration at the Savannah College of Art and Design and is an alumnus of the 2011 class of Art Leaders of Metro Atlanta (ALMA). Flusche also holds a Ph.D. in Ancient Roman and Etruscan Art and Archaeology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master’s degree in Italian Renaissance Art also from the University of Illinois.

MODA is also pleased to announce that Barbara Richardson has joined the executive staff as Director of Development. Richardson brings over 15 years experience in marketing, program development and fundraising for nonprofit organizations, both in the arts and in human services. She has led development and marketing efforts for museums in Philadelphia; Auckland, New Zealand and Dayton, Ohio and in Atlanta has served as Development Associate for the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, a program of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, and as Chief Development Officer of Families First.

In her various posts, Richardson has been credited with building fundraising and donor and member relations programs that have led to exponential growth in contributed income for the organizations she has served. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Art History from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s degree in Arts Administration from Drexel University.

A long-term goal of the museum has been to build a strong Board of Directors. In a move toward reaching this aim, MODA welcomes four new board members. The four newcomers join the museum’s current members: Bruce McEvoy (Chairman of the Board), Steve P. Cannon, Angelyn Chandler, Mark Chen, Peter Dosik, Ben Friedman, Douglass Grimmett, Phil Harrison, Karen Hughes, Shanon Larimer, Amy Nelson, Hank Richardson, Linda Schear, Jeff Stratton, Michael Tatum, Todd Wahl and Andrew Wilson. 

New Board Members

Smyrna resident Jennifer Moll joins the Board with a lengthy background in international relations and business intelligence. Holding positions in London, Moscow, Boston and Atlanta, Moll has the type of global savvy that makes her an ideal fit for a museum that attracts international audiences and attention for its varied exhibitions. Moll is currently director, corporate intelligence for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP, Forensic Services.

Designer at Jackson Spalding since 1999, Mark Miller is known for his discerning eye and knack for detail in work across the creative spectrum ranging from corporate identity to Web design. He is an alumnus of the 2011 class of Art Leaders of Metro Atlanta (ALMA), a program sponsored by the Metro Atlanta Arts & Culture Coalition.

CEO and owner of CALIBER Enterprises, a multi-branch Atlanta-based, internationally connected boutique PR-entertainment firm, Marcus Jackson has worked with a variety of top celebrities. He has vast experience planning and executing large-scale events and has secured significant business, political, entertainment and social relationships.   

Native of The Netherlands, Herman Anton Vonhof launched his international real estate career when he joined a Dutch sales organization of a major US community developer. He was involved in commercial real estate projects throughout Europe, and in 2003 acquired a major international special events rental structures company, which he rebranded Proteus On-Demand Facilities, LLC. The company focuses on upscale special events, extended term rental projects and emergencies.

MODA opened in its new home in Midtown in March 2011, and is the only museum in the Southeast devoted exclusively to the study and celebration of all things design. MODA examines how design affects our daily lives through engaging exhibitions, K-12 educational outreach and exciting adult programming. MODA regularly features exhibitions of architecture, industrial and product design, interiors and furniture, graphics, fashion, and more.  For more information, visit: www.museumofdesign.org or call 404-979-6455.

Museum Hours at 1315 Peachtree are:

Monday           Closed

Tuesday           10am-5pm

Wednesday     10am-5pm

Thursday         10am-5pm

Friday              10am-5pm

Saturday          10am-5pm

Sunday            12-5pm