Perot Museum Names Diaz Chief Advancement Officer
(Photo courtesy Greenhill School)
The Perot Museum of Nature and Science has tapped widely respected nonprofit leader Julie Diaz, best known for her work at Greenhill School and SMU, as its new chief advancement officer.
Diaz, who will assume her duties October 16, will guide and oversee the Museum’s development, membership, sales and marketing departments.
“We are delighted to welcome Julie to the Perot Museum, especially as we approach a key milestone – our fifth year of operation,” said Linda Abraham-Silver, the museum’s Eugene McDermott chief executive officer. “I have no doubt that her deep experience and seasoned leadership skills will help us build upon our existing strengths, innovate our business model and amplify our impact in this community.”
Diaz brings an impressive background to the position that includes leading the fundraising, board and alumni relations, marketing and communications efforts in the nonprofit, performing arts and education sectors. In addition, she is intimately familiar with Dallas, having recently served nearly a decade as chief advancement officer at Greenhill where she led a successful $54.5-million capital campaign and unified the school’s branding, among her many accomplishments. Prior to Greenhill School, Diaz was executive director of principal gifts at SMU and also held leadership roles at The Philadelphia Orchestra Association, WGBH Educational Foundation, Boston Symphony Orchestra and New England Conservatory of Music.
The hiring of Diaz rounds out the museum’s executive leadership team, which also includes Sally Berven, chief financial officer; Dave Humphries, chief operating officer, Dan Kohl, chief innovation officer; Dr. Anthony Fiorillo, vice president of research and collections and chief curator; and Mary Baerg, who was recently named to the newly created position of chief experience officer.
The management team reports to Silver, an experienced and dynamic leader in the nonprofit science and technology education sector. She joined the Perot Museum in early July from the Government of Abu Dhabi, where she had led science and technology promotion initiatives for the Technology Development Committee (TDC) as associate director since 2011. Additionally, Silver spent eight years as the president and CEO of Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and 13 years with the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLAC) as vice president of education & guest relations.
