
Photograph by Josh Tanner.
Nici Cumpston OAM
Director
cvq7sy@virginia.edu
Bachelor of Visual Arts, University of South Australia; Advanced Diploma in Applied and Visual Arts, North Adelaide School of Art
Nici is a proud Barkandji artist, curator, writer and educator whose family are also of Afghan, Irish and English descent. Barkandji are the river people who belong to the Barka, the Darling River in far western New South Wales, Australia. She prides herself in her ability to build meaningful relationships and she is passionate about supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists to develop and showcase their works of art. Before undertaking her role at Kluge-Ruhe, Nici served as the inaugural curator of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) since 2008 and the artistic director of the internationally renowned Tarnanthi Festival of Contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art since 2014.

Eleanore Neumann
Curator
ern5sx@virginia.edu
PhD University of Virginia; MA Courtauld Institute of Art; BA Vassar College
Eleanore is an art historian, curator, and digital humanist. In her research, she interrogates the histories of imperialism and colonialism as well as their contemporary legacies through a wide range of art and visual culture. As curator at Kluge-Ruhe, she works collaboratively with visiting artists, curators, Traditional Knowledge Holders, and scholars on exhibitions, special projects, and scholarship.
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Henry F. Skerritt
Associate Professor in the Department of Art and Curator of Research
hfs4f@virginia.edu
PhD University of Pittsburgh; MA University of Pittsburgh; MA University of Melbourne; BA Honors University of Western Australia
Henry is an art historian and curator hailing from Perth, Western Australia. He curates exhibitions of Indigenous Australian art, and leads research and teaching initiatives at UVA using the collection’s holdings.

Nicole Wade
Senior Collections Manager and Registrar
anw9s@virginia.edu
MA University of New Mexico; Graduate Certificate – George Washington University; BA University of Virginia
Nicole is a proud first-generation college student who has cared for museum collections at the University of Virginia for over 17 years, first at the Fralin Museum of Art (2007 – 2012) and at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of UVA since 2012. As Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at Kluge-Ruhe, she is responsible for the ethical care and stewardship of the museum’s growing permanent collection, library, and archive. She regularly advises peer institutions on best practices in stewardship, housing, transporting, and installing Indigenous Australian art.
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Jaimeson Daley
Manager of Education and Programs
yjq6mw@virginia.edu
EdD California State University, Sacramento; MFA University of Pennsylvania; BS, BFA The Pennsylvania State University
Jaimeson is an art museum educator with over two decades of pedagogical experience. His role is to facilitate engaging, positive educational experiences through the collection and programs at Kluge-Ruhe. His research focuses on narratives that promote access in museum spaces.

Jennifer Billingsly
Fiscal and Operations Specialist
jb4tf@virginia.edu
BA College of Charleston
Jennifer has a BA in English from the College of Charleston. She has a professional background both as an art educator and practicing artist and continues to teach, volunteer and exhibit with local art organizations.

Laura Snyder
Public Engagement and Communications Coordinator
ljs7f@virginia.edu
MFA Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; BFA Rhode Island School of Design
Laura is a practicing artist. In her role at Kluge-Ruhe, she shares the museum’s news and events with the public, designs exhibition materials, updates the website, and assists with programs and events.

Allenna West
Visitor Experience Associate
avw8e@virginia.edu
MA Liberty University; BA Old Dominion University
Allenna holds a Bachelor’s in history from Old Dominion University and a Master’s in teaching from Liberty University. A passionate educator, she has worked in Louisa County Public Schools as a special education teacher. She also has experience at Louisa Historical Society, using ArcGIS to connect enslaved African-Americans to their ancestors, and has tour coordination and event-planning experience from her time there. She is a member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe of Maryland.