Guggenheim Appoints Ty Woodfolk as Chief Culture and Inclusion Officer and Trish Jeffers as Deputy Director, Human Resources

Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, announced the appointment of Ty Woodfolk as the institution’s first Chief Culture and Inclusion Officer (CCIO) and Trish Jeffers as Deputy Director, Human Resources. Woodfolk and Jeffers will serve on the director’s executive leadership team as Deputy Directors of the museum and report to Armstrong. Both will begin their new roles on September 7, 2021.

Armstrong stated: “The creation of a head of culture and inclusion in tandem with naming a deputy director of human resources marks a positive shift in our leadership structure. The partnership between these two critical areas will guide us toward reshaping our workplace culture and creating an institution that’s welcoming to all. With his experience in overseeing diversity and inclusion initiatives in both arts and business, Ty will work across the institution to bring our DEAI commitment to life in all that we do. Trish is a proven leader who will provide a roadmap for an equitable human resources structure in line with the Guggenheim’s values. I look forward to working closely with Ty, Trish, our staff and the board to create meaningful change in our organization.”

Woodfolk comes to the Guggenheim from the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in Chicago, Illinois, where he served as Director of Human Resources, Diversity, and Inclusion. As Chief Culture and Inclusion Officer at the Guggenheim, he will work with museum leadership and staff to foster an environment that supports the institution’s commitment to ensuring that policies and processes across the organization are fully aligned with DEAI principles and values. He will oversee the implementation of the Guggenheim’s Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion Action Plan. Woodfolk will partner with executive leadership to advance strategic thinking around employee culture and engagement and develop practices that create a diverse, inclusive, and welcoming work environment for all employees.

Prior to her appointment as Deputy Director, Human Resources, Jeffers held the position of Interim Director, Human Resources, at the Guggenheim. In her new role Jeffers will provide oversight and strategic direction to all human resource functions including talent management, organizational effectiveness, coaching, recruitment, compensation, benefits, and labor and employee relations. She will lead planning related to change-management strategies and build policies to champion an environment that promotes team building and effective cross-organizational communication and collaboration.

The Guggenheim Museum is committed to providing an equitable and inclusive professional environment for all staff and a welcoming experience for all visitors. With the publication of its DEAI Action Plan in August 2020, the Guggenheim pledged to create paths that lead to a more inclusive and diverse institution by taking actionable steps in four key areas: staffing and culture; board diversification and governance; collections, exhibitions, research and publications; and audience engagement.

Woodfolk comes to the Guggenheim from the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in Illinois, where he has served as Director of Human Resources, Diversity, and Inclusion. At the theater, working in collaboration with BIPOC employees, he developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Program and a company plan to foster a climate of equity and inclusion. Previously, he held the post of Director, Human Resources, at the Houston Ballet Foundation in Texas. As a member of the executive staff, he worked to establish the vision, mission, and strategic growth plan for the organization and codeveloped the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee and program. Before joining the Ballet Foundation, Woodfolk served as Director, Human Resources for Global Operations, at Canrig Drilling Technologies (a division of Nabors Industries) in Houston. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), Human Resources Management, from Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, Texas.

Jeffers joins the Guggenheim with over 25 years in the areas of business management and human resources. Her experience spans the for-profit sector, at JPMorganChase, and mission-based organizations at both the local and global level. She served most recently as Human Resources Director for the Museum of Modern Art, New York, managing a fully integrated HR function with accountability for all aspects of the department. Before joining MoMA, Jeffers held business partner and specialist roles as a Human Resources Generalist and specialist roles in employee relations, executive compensation, mergers and acquisitions, and recruiting. At JPMorganChase she occupied business roles in marketing and finance. Jeffers began her career in Washington, D.C., as a Government Affairs Director for 100 CEOs of growth companies. She holds an MBA in Finance and Marketing from the Kellogg School of Northwestern University and a BA in American Studies from Yale College.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation was established in 1937 and is dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art through exhibitions, education programs, research initiatives, and publications. The international constellation of museums comprises the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Venice; the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao; and the future Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. An architectural icon and “temple of spirit” where radical art and architecture meet, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is among a group of eight Frank Lloyd Wright structures in the United States recently designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. To learn more about the museum and the Guggenheim’s activities around the world, visit guggenheim.org.