News from MIAC/Lab

SEPTEMBER 19, 2024

Santa Fe, NM – New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs announced today that Danyelle Means (Oglala Lakota) has been appointed executive director of Museum of Indian Arts & Culture (MIAC) in Santa Fe, NM, after serving a successful eight months as interim director.

"I am excited to welcome Danyelle’s ongoing leadership of MIAC as its new executive director," said New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs Cabinet Secretary Debra Garcia y Griego. "During her tenure as interim director, Danyelle has proven to be an effective and visionary steward. She has been instrumental in creating space where Native artists and their contributions are honored and highlighted. I look forward to seeing where her continued leadership takes the museum."

Previously, Means worked for the First Peoples Fund (in association with the National Opinion Research Center), Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, Inc., and was the first person of Indigenous heritage to lead Center for Contemporary Arts. She also served as the Director of Advancement at the Institute of American Indian Arts and the Executive Director of the Institute of American Indian Arts Foundation.  She holds a ​​Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Marist College/Instituto Lorenzo de’ Medici, Florence, Italy (ABT), and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and French from University of South Dakota. 

"I am deeply honored to take on the role of executive director at MIAC," said Means. "I am committed to serving all New Mexicans by ensuring that the voices of Native artists and community members are celebrated and integrated into the narrative of our cultural heritage. Together, we will continue to uplift Indigenous stories and art, fostering a deeper understanding of our rich traditions and contemporary expressions."

Means’ appointment was effective September 14, 2024. 

About the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

The Museum of Indian Arts & Culture is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, under the leadership of the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico. Programs and exhibits are generously supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and our donors. The mission of the Museum of Indian Arts & Culture/Laboratory of Anthropology is to serve as a center of stewardship, knowledge, and understanding of the artistic, cultural, and intellectual achievements of the diverse peoples of the Native Southwest.