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Sandra (Sandy) Keiser Edwards is associate director of Crystal Bridges Museum of
American Art. In her role as associate director, Sandy is responsible for all activities
of the Outreach Division of the museum, including: fundraising, membership, special
events, visitor services, public relations and marketing.
Prior to this appointment, Sandy served as associate vice chancellor for development
at the University of Arkansas for nine years. She and her late husband, Clay, served
as the management team for University Development, directing the Campaign for the
21st Century. The campaign’s goal of one billion dollars was exceeded by $46 million.
Previously, Sandy served as director of development for outreach and cooperative
extension at Pennsylvania State University, a post she held from 1992 until 1998.
She created the first comprehensive advancement program in the field of continuing
and distance education at a public university. She was part of the management team
that created Penn State's World Campus, a virtual university for students at a physical
distance from the university. From 1988 to 1992, she was director of station development
for WPSX-TV and WPSU-FM, Penn State's public broadcasting stations.
Prior to her involvement in the field of development she was general manager of
the Shreveport, La. Symphony; executive director of the Celebrity Theater in Bossier
City, La.; and associate director of the Hammons Center – Southwest Missouri State
University Museum in Springfield, Mo. Sandy has been honored with many awards including
Fundraising Professional of the year; the Alpha Kappa Alpha Trailblazer Award; and
honorary alumna of the university by the Arkansas Alumni Association.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Lenoir Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C., and a
master’s degree in college student personnel/concert management from Western Illinois
University, where she has been honored as a Distinguished Alumni.
Chris Crosman is Crystal Bridges’ chief curator. In this role, he will lead the
organization’s acquisitions, research and preservation activities within the context
of a major new museum. Some of his chief responsibilities will include: refining
the vision for the Crystal Bridges permanent collection, establishing the scope
and breadth of a temporary exhibitions program, undertaking primary research on
the collections leading to publication, and assisting in long-term development and
refinement of an art research library.
He most recently worked as the executive director of the William A. Farnsworth Library
and Art Museum in Rockland, Maine, a position he held for 17 years until he became
director emeritus earlier this year after stepping back from the top spot to focus
more on research and consulting activities. Crosman’s major accomplishments at the
Farnsworth include developing a 10-year master plan, tripling the physical plant
and leading a $20 million capital and endowment campaign.
During his tenure at the Farnsworth, he defined the focus of the museum’s collection
on Maine artists and national artists who worked in Maine. Of particular note is
his extensive work researching and writing about the Wyeth family as well as establishing
exhibition space and education facilities to house, interpret and show works by
three generations of Wyeths in Maine.
Crosman was responsible for numerous major acquisitions by artists with significant
ties to Maine such as Robert Feke, Fitz Hugh Lane, Winslow Homer, George Bellows,
Edward Hopper, Alex Katz, Louise Nevelson, David Salle, Rackstraw Downs, Jennifer
Bartlett, and Jamie and Andrew Wyeth.
In addition, Crosman has an established track record of collaboration with other
art museums and significant experience creating exhibitions that highlight artists
who have made important contributions to American art. Several of his exhibitions
have traveled to other museums including the Delaware Art Museum in Wilmington,
Del. and the Naples Art Museum in Naples, Fla.
To honor his many accomplishments at the Farnsworth, the museum’s board of directors
named a gallery in his honor during 1998. Prior to his work at the Farnsworth, Crosman
worked at the Heckscher Museum and Albright-Knox Art Gallery, both in New York.
He was active in the Rockland business community as well as in the local and regional
art and tourism industries, serving on several boards and also as chair of the Maine
Arts Commission. In 2002, he received an award from the governor of Maine for his
work in stimulating tourism through the Farnsworth Art Museum.
Crosman has a bachelor’s degree in American history from Washington and Lee University
and he has completed graduate studies in art history at Oberlin College.
Lynn Berkowitz is director of learning experiences at Crystal Bridges Museum of
American Art. In this role, Berkowitz is leading the organization’s planning, development
and implementation for all the museum’s education activities. She is currently building
a team and working with colleagues and regional partners to envision and position
exceptional learning experiences within the community and working to inform this
process with the needs of this area. Currently, she conducts her programs at the
museum’s temporary site, Crystal Bridges at the Massey, in preparation for the museum’s
opening. Plans are underway to develop an array of programming for lifelong learners
of all ages.
She comes to Northwest Arkansas from Sarasota, Fla., where she was the education
director at The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. While at Ringling, the 10-person
Education Division and 230 docents presented over 15,000 tours and programs to over
197,000 visitors annually. Lynn’s previous tenure includes The Tucson Museum of
Art and The University of Arizona Museum of Art in Arizona, and the Allentown Art
Museum in Pennsylvania. She has initiated nationally-recognized museum education
programs for adults and youth; established extended artist residencies in schools,
teen centers and prisons; and implemented new learning technology projects.
Lynn has worked in museums since 1989 and has taught studio art, art history and
art education courses at colleges in addition to the practice of museum education.
She has also presented widely at conferences, symposia and workshops.
Lynn’s educational background is in studio arts with a heavy concentration in art
history. She received a master’s degree in fine arts from Tyler School of Art of
Temple University in Philadelphia and conducted her bachelor’s degree studies at
the Philadelphia College of Art and Kutztown College.
Tracy Cude was named chief financial officer of Crystal Bridges Museum of American
Art in 2008. She is responsible for the daily administrative and operational functions
of the museum including finance, human resources, information technologies, facilities,
retail and food operations.
Prior to joining Crystal Bridges, Tracy led the accounting and operational support
team at the Walton Family Foundation, a private grant-making organization pursuing
the philanthropic mission established by Sam and Helen Walton.
Before serving at The Walton Family Foundation, Tracy was vice president for finance
and planning at the Walton Arts Center where she gained arts-related experience
and helped develop strategic planning functions for a fast-growing, mission-driven
arts institution. One of her accomplishments with the Center was the development
and execution of a major enhanced-programming grant funded by the Walton Family
Foundation. This grant included a number of mission-critical initiatives including
larger scale performances and quality visual art exhibitions.
Tracy has a diverse background in both the non-profit as well as for-profit sectors.
In her past work experience, she served on a merger and acquisition team for Raytheon
Corporate Jets, as well as conducting nine years of private consulting. Tracy began
her career in public accounting with KPMG Peat Marwick.
Tracy has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
and soon after obtained her Certified Public Accounting License.
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