Eric Motley Joins National Gallery of Art as Deputy Director

Washington, DC—The National Gallery of Art announced today the appointment of Eric L. Motley as deputy director. In this role, Motley will be responsible for developing and deploying a national strategy for the museum through civic, cultural, and philanthropic partnerships, and advancing the National Gallery’s renewed mission in tandem with its operational and revenue-generation plans. Since 2007, Motley has worked for the Aspen Institute, a global, non-partisan public policy organization based in Washington, DC, serving most recently as an executive vice president and the corporate secretary. He begins his National Gallery tenure on August 30, 2021. Elisa B. Glazer, currently the National Gallery’s external affairs and audience engagement officer, will become chief development officer, working with Motley to expand the Gallery’s donor base. The two appointments continue to fill out the organizational framework created by National Gallery director Kaywin Feldman to support strategic initiatives and programs with an enhanced focus on public service.

“As part of the National Gallery of Art’s renewed commitment to serving the American people, we are excited to work with Eric in maximizing awareness of the Gallery. Eric’s experience expanding a national program will enable us to further broaden our reach and impact,” said Kaywin Feldman, director of the National Gallery of Art. “I am thrilled that Eric will join our team to help us do this critical work.”

“Over the course of my career and in my personal life, I have spent time with museum leaders, directors, curators, and board members, all across the country, learning about how museums work and how they fulfill their missions. I believe that we are witnessing a paradigm shift in our nation with respect to the role that museums play in our cities and communities—connecting people to transcendent ideas and inspiring creativity. This is where the National Gallery is headed and I am honored to contribute to this journey,” said Eric L. Motley.

Deputy Director

The deputy director is an executive officer, reporting to the director, Kaywin Feldman, and is a member of the National Gallery’s senior leadership team. As deputy director, Motley will lead the museum’s externally facing, mission-based work, in service of the nation, by welcoming all people to explore and experience art, creativity, and our shared humanity.

Motley’s portfolio will include congressional relations, development and membership, communications, special events, visitor experience and evaluation, and the division of content strategy, publishing, and branding.

With 20 years of experience assisting government, not-for-profit, and private sector organizations build high-performing teams, Motley is renowned for his ability to identify, leverage, and develop talent. His career reflects repeated success in recognizing unique capabilities and professionally positioning people, covering a range of expertise, to deliver excellent results for the organizations with which they are affiliated.

Prior to joining the Aspen Institute, Motley served as counselor to the Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs, as well as the Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of International Visitors, where he administered programs focused on building mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries, in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. Motley began his career at the White House, where he spent over four years working in the Office of Presidential Personnel, eventually serving as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush. In this role, he managed the appointment process for more than 1,200 presidentially appointed advisory board and commission positions.

Motley has rich governance experience stemming from his service on the boards of numerous, venerated civic and cultural institutions including the Morgan Library and Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, WETA, the James Madison Council of the Library of Congress, and the Washington National Cathedral.

He holds a Ph.D. in political philosophy from St. Andrew’s University (Scotland) and a BA in political theory and philosophy from Samford University.

*Source: Press Release, (March 22, 2021), National Gallery of Art 

*Image: Eric L. Motley Photo © Tony Powell