The Group of Ontario Emerging Museum Professionals (GOEMP) Committee presents the third edition of “Confessions of a Museum Professional.” This project invites colleagues to share anonymously written postcards about studying and working in the cultural sector. Submissions pose questions, share frustrations, and tell stories about the workplace, educational training, experiences, and failures within the arts, culture, and heritage community.

Submit your online postcard here: https://goemp.wordpress.com/about/confessions-of-a-museum-professional/

Due to COVID-19’s evolving nature, which has resulted in cancelled programs and forced galleries and museums to close their doors around the world, we are taking the project online and bringing it to you as a webinar. This online session will consist of a conversation with three panelists who will directly respond to a selection of paper and digital postcards we’ve received. The moderated discussion will specifically address the global pandemic and how it has affected museum professionals today.

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_97yhMZ83QD6fILT5m9HoRg

We encourage you to continue the conversation at the Ontario Museum Association’s weekly #MuseumConnectON Member Check-In the following day on Wednesday, May 27 at 10:00am. Please join us and share your own approaches, challenges, and questions with colleagues.

Panelists

Sarah Chu
Sarah is the Acting Manager, Learning at the Royal Ontario Museum where she oversees School Visits and Travelling Programs. In her previous role as the Digital Learning Specialist, she led onsite digital learning and online distance learning initiatives, including the ROM Makerspace, a digitally-enhanced creative learning studio at the ROM, and virtual visit programs for students across the province. Prior to her work at the ROM, Sarah researched game-based learning and digital play, and designed and developed games for learning and social impact at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Ryerson University. She is committed to building and advocating for inclusion and diversity in the museum and information technology sectors.

Stacy McLennan
Stacy is the Collections Curator & Registrar for the Region of Waterloo Museums, a position she has held for the past 12 years. Prior to working at the Region of Waterloo, Stacy was the Collections Manager at Grey Roots Museum & Archives, and completed various contracts at heritage institutions across the country. Stacy is an avid reader, dog mum to two pups, and devotee of all things British.

Maria Piacente
As Vice President of Exhibitions, Maria specializes in interpretive planning, content development and project management for cultural projects of all sizes, ranging in scope from art to science to history. Maria has shared her expertise throughout North America, Western Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  Her experience includes many different museum types such as archeology, history, culture, children's museum, health, science, literature and corporate museums. Grounded in current museological theory, Maria’s global experience enables her to incorporate both conceptual and curatorial aspects with leading-edge technological applications, ensuring an exciting and enriching visitor experience.

Andrea Wilson
Andrea began her career over 40 years ago in Ottawa where she completed the Algonquin College Museum Technology programme and worked with the amazing mentors at the National Museums in Ottawa, in archaeology, ethnology and folk culture.  Andrea found her home in community museums while continuing her formal education at York University in Canadian Studies and informally through workshops, job exchanges, conferences and seminars.  After a mid-career break to pursue lacemaking, she returned to community museums in a range of Curator and Manager capacities before joining the team at the Blue Mountains Public Library as the Curator of the Craigleith Heritage Depot, and reopening the museum as part of a GLAM.

Moderators

Diane Pellicone
Diane received her Master in Art History from Carleton University and has worked within cultural sectors across Montreal, Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area. This includes a practicum with Carleton University Art Gallery as an Art Critic-in-Residence, and a Curatorial Writing and Publication Internship at RiverBrink Art Museum through Young Canada Works. She was also a Curatorial Assistant with Aimia Inc.’s Corporate Art Collection and Installation, where she oversaw their permanent and borrowed art collections. In 2015, Diane joined the Royal Ontario Museum as a Project Assistant, helping with the coordination, development, and travelling of exhibitions at one of the largest museums in North America. Connect with her on Instagram @DianePellicone and LinkedIn.

Madeline Smolarz
Madeline is a museum professional with a strong interest in the experiences of diverse populations in cultural spaces, particularly through the accessible and inclusive management of programs, human resources, communications, and operations. Since gaining a Master of Museum Studies from the University of Toronto, she has contributed to the success of several cultural heritage organizations across Ontario. In addition to her work experience, Madeline enjoys dedicating a significant portion of her time to volunteering through her involvement with the Ontario Museum Association, the Canadian Museum Association, and her leadership position with the Group of Ontario Emerging Museum Professionals (GOEMP) Committee. Connect with her on Twitter @MadelineSmolarz and LinkedIn.