Tricia Edwards Email & Phone Number

Washington, Dc

Provide overall leadership for SITES | Smithsonian Affiliations. Through collaborations with our Smithsonian colleagues and other museums and cultural organizations, we serve as the Smithsonian's ambassador and emissary. SITES | SA works to enrich lives by expanding the boundaries of the Smithsonian outside Washington, D.C. and makes the Smithsonian's programs, people, collections, and research more widely accessible to communities across the US. Through our work, we reach 30 million people across the nation each year.

Washington, District Of Columbia, United States

Washington D.C. Metro Area

DEPUTY DIRECTOR, SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATIONS• Manage day-to-day operations, including staff, finances, and national programs to support Smithsonian strategic goals of “greater reach, greater relevance, profound impact”• Successfully led Smithsonian Affiliations through the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly doubling the number of Affiliate engagements since 2019 and implementing new programs and resources to support Affiliates• Raised $2.5 million over the last 3 years to launch the Leadership for Change internship, a first-of-its-kind Smithsonian opportunity, to serve 250 diverse college students in collaboration with Affiliate organizations and the Smithsonian • In 2022, led Affiliations to its most successful year yet, which included engagement by 84% of Smithsonian Affiliates, collaborations with 22 Smithsonian units, raising or being awarded more than $2 million, and re-gifting $500,000 to support the work of AffiliatesINTERIM DEPUTY DIRECTOR, EXHIBITS, FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION, SITES• Intentionally connected with staff during a time of great organizational transition to understand their needs, address concerns, and build trust and collegiality across and between departments• Balanced FY2023 exhibit budget, which included collaborating with staff to cut, reduce and/or postpone projects to operate within available resources while also meeting customers’ and collaborators’ needs• Working with Finance & Administration team to identify opportunities to better align activities across SITES and Smithsonian Affiliations, create efficiencies, and develop effective communications to be shared with SITES|SA staff

Washington, Dc

Developed and directed strategy and growth of public engagement initiatives, forged partnerships and collaborations, and led programming for Smithsonian-based center •Participated as part of the Center’s senior leadership team to determine priorities and strategic directions for the Center, develop and manage budgets, and establish metrics for success•Led Spark!Lab, the Center’s flagship public engagement initiative o Oversaw development and design of Draper Spark!Lab at National Museum of American History. Spark!Lab serves more than 250,000 visitors per year, with new content and hands on activities introduced three times per year o Conceived Spark!Lab National Network (SLNN) to open Spark!Lab locations outside of Washington, DC. Worked with colleagues across Smithsonian to develop business model and managed complex process to build legal, financial, and programmatic structures for the initiative. Spark!Labs now exist in 8 locations outside of Washington with more scheduled to open. SLNN sites collectively serve more than 300,000 visitors per year o Led development and installation of temporary Spark!Lab sites in Gurgaon, India and Kyiv, Ukraine, and worked with University of Westminster, London on a permanent Spark!Lab initiative o Led business development efforts for Spark!Lab/SLNN to identify opportunities to broaden access while generating revenue. Revenue sources included licensing fees from SLNN, royalties from Spark!Lab consumer products, grants, and gifts•Oversaw the Center’s public programming initiatives, including museum-based and off-site programs •Successfully forged strategic alliances with for- and non-profit entities including LEGO, Ford Motor Company Fund, the Association of Children’s Museums, U.S. State Department, and others to increase the Center’s reach and impact •Frequently presented at conferences such as SXSWedu, American Alliance of Museums, Association of Children’s Museums on education, invention, and creativity

Baltimore, Maryland

Directed educational programming and supervised education staff at regional museum• Worked with a board of external advisors to develop and implement innovative educational programs to effectively serve area teachers, students, and families. School attendance more than doubled; public visitation climbed 25%• Worked with director, curator, and others to develop new temporary and permanent exhibitions

Washington, Dc

Directed educational programs and strategic partnerships for national non-profit organization • Served as the organization’s first Director of Education and spearheaded the development of a multimedia curriculum which was distributed to the nation’s 40,000+ secondary schools. Created a companion professional development program for teachers nationwide• Developed strategic relationships with veterans’ organizations and educational associations to help raise awareness and financial resources for the Memorial Fund’s educational programs and activities

Wilmington, De

Directed educational content of programs and exhibits, and supervised education staff at local museum• Formed committee of school superintendents, teachers, and government officials to assist with the development and marketing of educational programs for area schools. All programs were subsequently endorsed by local school districts and museum visitation increased by nearly 25%

Art History

Frances Niederer Scholar

Liberal Studies

Education record