Albright-Knox hires Dr. Callie Johnson as director of communications and community engagement

The Albright-Knox announced the appointment of Dr. Callie Johnson as the museum’s first director of communications and community engagement, “a new department that will play a key role in shaping the museum’s identity locally, nationally and globally.” Johnson is an award-winning marketing, communications and nonprofit leadership executive with more than 15 years of experience.

“The heart and soul of any museum is its team,” said Dr. Janne Sirén, Peggy Pierce Elfvin Director. “Inspiring programs and objects, including the world-renowned masterpieces that abound in our collection, are also important, but their significance pales in comparison to the human element. Dr. Johnson’s impeccable credentials and outstanding scholarship, combined with her extensive experience as a leader and a communicator, will enable us to be more innovative than ever before and reach new audiences in Western New York and across the nation and the world. Callie is articulate, passionate in her pursuit of excellence, a true leader, and a team player, and we will thank her for many touchdowns in the years to come.”

Johnson said, “I am thrilled to be joining the Albright-Knox team during this incredibly important time in the institution’s history. I look forward to reimagining the ways in which the museum interacts with its community as a cultural cornerstone and a source of inspiration, while spreading the word around the world about the wonderful work that the museum does.”

At the Albright-Knox, Johnson will serve in an executive role as a member of the leadership team. Working in close collaboration with all departments, she will steward the rebranding of America’s sixth-oldest art museum, which is in the process of becoming the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, a transformation resulting from a $168 million campus development and expansion project scheduled for completion in the fall of 2022. Johnson will lead the Buffalo AKG’s regional, national and international communications and community engagement efforts with the objective of connecting people from all walks of life with the matrix of arts and cultural experiences the museum offers through its programs and collection of modern and contemporary art.

Johnson is the former executive vice president of marketing for Girl Scouts of Western New York and a current member of the Forbes Communications Council, an invitation-only community for executives in communications, marketing and public relations. Johnson will lead the development and implementation of a fully integrated marketing, communications and community engagement plan to grow and fulfill the museum’s mission by engaging and empowering audiences and encouraging lifelong learning and discovery.

Johnson, a Buffalo native, resides in East Amherst. She is a graduate of Niagara University, where she earned her Ph.D. in leadership and policy (2018). She received a Master of Science in global business and marketing from Daemen College (2010), and a Bachelor of Arts in communication, with a minor in sociology, from the University at Buffalo (2007). Johnson has received numerous awards and recognitions during her career.