Will Cary Appointed Barnes Foundation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Philadelphia, PA, January 6, 2026—Thom Collins, Neubauer Family Executive Director and President of the Barnes Foundation, today announced that Will Cary has been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
Will Cary has served as Chief Operating Officer since January 2023. In that role, he has overseen the Barnes’s earned revenue and operations functions and played a lead role in the execution of the institution’s strategic plan. In his expanded role as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Cary will focus on growth and diversification of new revenue streams and audiences—including through the Barnes’s robust online education program and its innovative online learning technology, the Visual Experience Platform (VXP)—and lead critical functions in support of audience and operational goals. Additionally, he will be responsible for planning and operational oversight for Calder Gardens, which opened in September 2025, for which the Barnes serves as operational partner.
Additionally, the Barnes has announced the formation of a new Brand department under Cary’s purview. Led by Kim Jakominich, Senior Director of Brand, this new structure brings together the communications, design, editorial, marketing, and publications teams in an intentional and strategic way. The department will operate as an integrated communications, content, and creative engine responsible for stewarding and expressing the identities of both the Barnes and Calder Gardens, ensuring every audience touchpoint reinforces a clear narrative, a unified voice, and a measurable contribution to mission and revenue goals.
“Will is a deeply strategic, innovative thinker and a seasoned museum professional with experience in a variety of institutional functions, from visitor services to fundraising and business strategy. This robust experience, coupled with his deep cultural knowledge and understanding of the museum field, makes Will well suited for this new leadership position,” says Collins. “The Brand department, under Will’s leadership, represents a strategic shift that positions both the Barnes and Calder Gardens to meet the moment, including a growing need for cohesive institutional storytelling across all channels.”
“I am delighted to step into this new role at the Barnes, particularly during this exciting moment in the life of the institution,” says Cary. “The Barnes and Calder Gardens are brimming with opportunities for meaningful engagement, and our staff is leading the field in myriad ways, including groundbreaking innovations in educational and technological initiatives. I look forward to working with Thom, our incredibly talented colleagues, and the trustees to expand our impact at home and around the world and continue enriching the lives of our visitors, students, and community.”
During his 10-year tenure at the Barnes, Cary has also held the roles of Director of Membership and Visitor Services, Director of Annual Giving Programs, Senior Director for Annual and Corporate Giving, and Chief of Business Strategy and Analytics. Prior to the Barnes, Cary held a variety of roles at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, and the Portland Museum of Art. He holds a BA in art history and economics from Williams College and is a graduate of the Museum Leadership Institute at Claremont Graduate University.
ABOUT THE BARNES FOUNDATION
The Barnes Foundation is a nonprofit cultural and educational institution that shares its unparalleled art collection with the public, organizes special exhibitions, and presents programming that fosters new ways of thinking about human creativity. The Barnes collection is displayed in ensembles that integrate art and objects from across cultures and time periods, overturning traditional hierarchies and revealing universal elements of human expression. Home to one of the world’s finest collections of impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern paintings—including the largest groups of paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Paul Cézanne in existence—the Barnes brings together renowned canvases by Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and Vincent van Gogh, alongside African, Asian, ancient, medieval, and Native American art as well as metalwork, furniture, and decorative art.
The Barnes Foundation was established by Dr. Albert C. Barnes in 1922 to “promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of the fine arts and horticulture.” A visionary collector and pioneering educator, Dr. Barnes was also a fierce advocate for the civil rights of African Americans, women, and the economically marginalized. Committed to racial equality and social justice, he established a scholarship program to support young Black artists, writers, and musicians who wanted to further their education. Dr. Barnes was deeply interested in African American culture and became actively involved in the Harlem Renaissance, during which he collaborated with philosopher Alain Locke and Charles S. Johnson, the scholar and activist, to promote awareness of the artistic value of African art.
Since moving to Philadelphia in 2012, the Barnes has expanded its commitment to diversity, inclusion, and social justice, teaching visual literacy in groundbreaking ways; investing in original scholarship relating to its collection; and enhancing accessibility throughout every facet of its programs.
The Barnes Foundation is situated in Lenapehoking, the ancestral homeland of the Lenape people. Read our Land Acknowledgment.
Hours and ticket prices are listed on our website.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Deirdre Maher, Director of Communications
215.278.7160, press@barnesfoundation.org
Online press office: barnesfoundation.org/press