Smithsonian American Art Museum Director Removed from Top Post After Staff Complaints

Stephanie Stebich, the director of the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) since 2017, was reassigned to a senior advisory role within the Smithsonian Institution in September 2024 after staff complaints about her management style. According to a report by the Washington Post, the move came after a July 2023 letter from senior staff that outlined years of declining morale and concerns about her leadership. 

Despite Stebich’s announcement in July that she would take an indefinite medical leave, the reassignment followed months of board investigation and mounting pressure from board members and staff, who had expressed frustration with her management.

Stebich, who also oversaw SAAM’s Renwick Gallery, had a reputation a prolific fundraiser, bringing in over $100 million during her tenure. Her leadership reportedly caused dissatisfaction among employees. Complaints reportedly included allegations of contradictory instructions, public rebukes, shifting blame, and fostering rivalries among staff. Per the Post, tensions culminated during a 2023 staff meeting, where a word cloud exercise highlighted “toxic director” as a dominant concern among employees.

The museum’s board of commissioners, reportedly unaware of the extent of dissatisfaction until earlier this year, pressed the Smithsonian for Stebich’s removal, even threatening resignations. Although Smithsonian leadership, including Kevin Gover, initially resisted, Stebich was eventually reassigned. Jane Carpenter-Rock, the deputy director for museum content and outreach, now serves as acting director while a search for Stebich’s replacement is underway.

Under Stebich’s leadership, the museum diversified its collection and spearheaded major campaigns, including the Renwick Gallery’s 50th-anniversary acquisition initiative and a reinstallation project for SAAM’s permanent galleries. Critics have questioned some of the museum’s decisions, including one that involved accepting a donation of nearly 1,300 miniature car models, which now have a permanent display space alongside works by American art icons.

Stebich’s reassignment comes follows a  Smithsonian leadership controversy from last year. Nancy Yao, who was selected as director of the forthcoming American Women’s History Museum, withdrew in July after reports surfaced that she had settled three wrongful termination lawsuits during her previous tenure as as president of the Museum of Chinese in America.