Kit Matthew
Doctor of Design
Distinguished Fellow
225-578-5400 |
kmatthew@lsu.edu
PhD University of Pennsylvania
MBA University of Minnesota
Dr. Matthew believes that cultural organizations can serve as anchors and catalysts for vibrant and resilient communities. These organizations’ attributes of public trust, accessible learning, inclusion of multiple voices and custodianship of collections continue to inspire her work. Her recent book Fundraising for Impact in Libraries, Archives, and Museums: Making the Case to Government, Foundation, Corporate and Individual Funders (Routledge Press, 2021) speaks to the value of cultural organizations and their funders aligning their efforts and grounding their work in community wellbeing.
In one of her corporate sector roles, she conceptualized and launched a new software product exclusively designed for arts and cultural organizations (at Blackbaud). She uses change management and lean six sigma to help facilitate organizational transformation towards greater effectiveness and efficiency. Through these varied for-profit experiences, she has honed her business planning, innovation management, product development, and market research skills and adapted them to the cultural sector. She also works with cultural and other funders as well; for example the Appalachian Funders Network–a cross-sector group of foundations, CDFIs, banks, federal agencies, and humanities and arts councils–focused on improving socio-economic conditions within the region. And she advises St. David’s Foundation for its “Libraries for Health” initiative that is focused on centering public libraries as hubs for mental wellness services for underserved and rural residents.
Nominated by President Obama and Senate confirmed, Dr. Matthew led an executive level federal agency that provided nationwide funding for museums, libraries, archives, academic institutions and tribes. During two Administrations, she prioritized cultural stewardship, information access, lifelong learning, digital inclusion and community wellbeing at the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
After nomination by President Biden and confirmation by the Senate, Kit is a currently a member of the National Council on the Humanities, an advisory board to the National Endowment for The Humanities.
Research Interests:
Strategies and tools to help museums, libraries, archives and other cultural organizations to effectively operate and demonstrate their impact; Asset-based community development with cultural organizations and community leaders; Cultural organizations’ contributions to social, educational, health and economic wellbeing; Interpreting multiple narratives using collections, primary sources, the built environment and cultural landscapes; Community memory and identity expressed through the design of exhibits, digital archiving, and public programming; Revenue-generation strategies that shape cultural organizations’ innovation, community partnerships and sustainability; Capacity building for rural and small museums, archives and libraries.