Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) Selects Michele Smith as CEO

After an extensive national search, the Board of Directors at the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) has selected Michele Y. Smith to be their next Chief Executive Officer.

​Board President, Shaunta Hyde, summarized her choice in saying, 

“On behalf of the board and staff, we are excited to bring Michele’s vision, passion, and excellence to MoPOP. Our mission is to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities. Michele’s background and experience are exactly what we were looking for as we grow in Seattle and the global arts community.

Michele Smith echoed this sentiment in saying, 

I am extremely excited about the opportunity to work at this iconic cultural institution that is tied to Seattle and the global arts community. I was drawn to their commitment of addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) within museum culture. I look forward to working with the staff, board, and community to help define and shape the future and become a place for the community and guests to have creative exchanges and extraordinary experiences that spark light bulb moments for all generations.

​She will begin on March 27, bringing the same passion an enthusiasm to the role that she has a reputation for providing. 
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​About Michele

Prior to joining MoPOP Michele will be transitioning out of her current role at the Woodland Park Zoo. There she has been serving as the Chief Business & Financial Officer. In her over five and half years there she led the award-winning organization through the COVID shutdowns, significantly growing revenue, expanding guest services and events, and implementing automation along the way. The result is a stronger organization that can be more readily enjoyed by more people.

She also serves as a Board Member and Community Advisor for Evergreen Health as well as a Board Member for Mary’s Place, a Seattle-based organization that aims to support those experiencing homelessness and help them find their forever home.  

Michele is a passionate advocate for equity and inclusion and a mission-focused leader with a strong track record of organizational success. She has significant experience across the areas of nonprofit business development, finance, and operations. Her people-centered leadership style equips her to relate to others while leading to better align an organization around its core mission.

​Michele has a degree in Business Administration and Management from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has completed an executive program in New Media Strategies from Cornell University.

Connect with Michele >

About MoPOP

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MoPOP is an icon – an innovative cultural institution in Seattle with ties to both their local community’s art scene and the global art community. MoPOP’s art collections, ongoing exhibits, educational programs, and partnerships in the community are meant to inspire and connect people. They aim to foster creativity, courage, and innovation to unite people around their shared humanity with a focus on pop culture. With a dedication to the ideas and risk-taking popularized by contemporary pop culture, MoPOP seeks to make creative expression a life-changing experience across multigenerational audiences. Their core values include radical hospitality, equitable access, open exchange, learning, connecting, integrity, hard work, innovation, and the thrill of creating.  
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About Valtas Group
Valtas Group works as Interim Executive Directors, supporting organizations in times of transition and helps organizations navigate uncertainty during leadership change. We lead the search process in partnership with the board and staff leadership, as consultants for recruiting and search to support organizations identify the ideal Executive Director or leader.
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Furthermore, Valtas Group partners with board members and senior nonprofit leaders on a variety of strategic consulting assignments. We offer comprehensive resources to guide your transition needs.  Contact us to learn about our executive interim and placement services.

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