Executive Director
Juniper Leherissey
Executive Director
Juniper Leherissey has followed a passion for art and creativity back to her hometown of Taos. She spent many hours at the Harwood Public Library growing up. After dedicating her career to non-profit arts, Juniper took the helm of the museum in 2019 to make a difference in the community that she loves.
Philanthropy, Membership & Marketing
Tricia Soule
Development Director
Originally from New Hampshire, Tricia Soule has long been inspired by the life and art of Georgia O’Keeffe, which first sparked her dream of living in New Mexico during her college years. That dream came true in 2023 when she and her husband relocated to the Land of Enchantment.
Shemai Rodriguez
Marketing and Engagement Coordinator
Shemai Rodriguez is descended from two generations of Taos painters. Both her mother and grandmother are represented in the Harwood collection. Additionally, her family has lived in Taos for centuries, giving her a deep connection to art, the land, people and special blend of cultures. Being surrounded by the art at the Harwood Museum is a very personal experience for her as she advances her passion for serving the community she loves.
Valerie Sagan Overlan
Administrative Assistant
Valerie spent most of her career in university and PBS fundraising, working in major gifts, grant writing and corporate development for over 35 years. She worked at four different universities across the country and successfully raised money and secured in-kind equipment for colleges of Education and Engineering.
Sylvia Tawse
Marketing and Development Associate
Sylvia is a writer and storyteller working in marketing and communications for more than 35 years promoting the arts and a healthier environment for all. After Sylvia was Marketing Director for eight years for Alfalfa’s Natural Food store chain in the Rocky Mountain West, she served as Marketing and Development Director for the award-winning Colorado Music Festival at the Historic Colorado Chautauqua in Boulder.
Exhibitions & Collections
Nicole Dial-Kay
Curator of Exhibitions & Collections
Nicole Dial-Kay came to the Harwood Museum in February 2020 with a passion for curating exhibitions that reflect the diversity and talent that exist in Northern New Mexico.
Christopher Albert
Collections Manager
Christopher Albert joined the Harwood Museum of Art in 2013. Chris’ personal passion for the arts and his attention to detail makes him a perfect steward of the Harwood Museum’s art collections and loaned art objects.
Joel Clark
Gallery Manager
Joel Clark is an experienced Exhibition Preparator at the Harwood Museum of Art, where he plays a crucial role in the seamless execution of exhibitions. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for art handling, Joel ensures that each artwork is showcased to its fullest potential. With a background in fine arts and a deep understanding of museum standards, he brings a wealth of knowledge to his role. Joel is dedicated to staying updated on industry best practices and is committed to delivering excellence in exhibition preparation and collections care. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his beloved dog Penelope.
Dave Ryan
Preparator
Dave Ryan comes to the Harwood Museum with over 40 years of museum experience in Colorado and New Mexico. Dave grew up in Albuquerque and began his museum career at the Maxwell Museum at UNM.
Education & Programs
Gwendolyn Fernandez
Curator of Education and Public Programs
Gwendolyn Fernandez is a compassionate educator who advocates for centering care and community in museum practices. She comes to the Harwood with 15 years of experience working collaboratively to develop programs, design interpretive strategies, and foster diverse teams that serve museum audiences of all ages and abilities.
Molly Casey
Education Coordinator
Molly Casey is a museum educator who strongly believes in increasing museum accessibility through community engagement. She emphasizes creating programming that is inclusive, welcoming, and most importantly: a lot of fun.
Hannah Cloepfil
Public Programs Coordinator
Hannah Cloepfil is a cultural producer, designer, and facilitator whose natural gift for bringing people together translates into the creation of one-of-a-kind, collective experiences. She believes in the power of art and activation to facilitate conversation, illuminate ideas, and inspire the unexpected.
Francis Santistevan
Multimedia Services Tech
Francis Santistevan has a passion for acquiring new knowledge and experiences. Joining the Harwood team in 2019, he helps to bring Harwood’s programs to the public whether virtual or in the beautiful Arthur Bell Auditorium.
Museum Store & Visitor Services
Katy Ballard
Museum Store and Visitor Experience Manager
Katy Ballard has a lifelong connection to the visual, performing, and musical arts. She comes from a family of artists including her mother, grandmothers, brother, daughter, aunts, and uncles. She has been an arts educator and artist for over 25 years.
Chrissy Rutkaus
Customer Service Associate
Chrissy Rutkaus enjoys being a part of the team that welcomes visitors to the Harwood Museum on a daily basis. She joined the museum staff in 2021.
Vincent Aguas
Customer Service Associate
Vincent Aguas is originally from Portland, Oregon where he received his art degree from Marylhurst University and worked in nonprofits.
Nancy Berk
Customer Service Associate
Nancy Berk Nancy’s passions include working with people; learning about and appreciating art in all its forms; and spending time with her grandchildren.
Lesley Ivy
Customer Service Associate
Lesley studied art in Mexico City and Austin, and secured a BFA from the University of
Texas. After 20 years in public relations at a large Dallas agency and getting her daughter through high school, Lesley hit the road and lived in Rhode Island for two years.
Operations & Facilities
Susie Crowley
Operations Manager
Susie Crowley has always been inspired by the arts. With her interest in humanities and community, her work at the Harwood helps her stay connected to her love of art and of the people of Taos.
Carlos Valdez
Operations and Facilities Manager
Carlos Valdez has enjoyed working on many types of construction and non-construction related projects. He finds the most challenging and rewarding to be the restoration of Taos’ historic buildings. He particularly enjoys incorporating modern techniques without changing the integrity or historical features of the buildings.
Eric DeHerrera
Facilities Services Tech
Eric DeHerrera has a passion for working with adobe buildings. Since the Harwood Museum of Art is housed in a registered historic location, he enjoys the opportunity to preserve such a valued example of New Mexico’s traditional Pueblo Style architecture. He enjoys restoring old windows and doors and repurposing old or antique things.
Angela Tafoya
Facilities Services Tech
As a valued member of the Harwood’s facilities team, some of Angela’s daily duties include maintaining and beautification of the museum’s buildings and grounds. She also assists the rest of the facilities team with many other duties big/small that may arise during the day.