Brian Alexander

Professor, Museum Administration

Brian.Alexander@oneonta.edu
M.A. University of Illinois-Springfield
B.A. University of Illinois-Springfield
Certificate, Museum Management, University of Colorado

Brian Alexander is Visiting Professor of Museum Administration and Director of the Institute for Cultural Entrepreneurship at the Cooperstown Graduate Program. He teaches classes in museum administration, governance, finance, project management, strategic planning, fundraising and cultural entrepreneurship.

Prior to coming to the Cooperstown Graduate Program Professor Alexander worked for 38 years in the museum field. Among other positions, he has served as President & CEO of the National World War I Museum; President & CEO of the Historic Annapolis Foundation; Executive-Vice President & Director of the Shelburne Museum; Director of the State Museum of North Dakota; Historic Site Superintendent for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and Senior Curator for the Historic Sites Program of Fairfax County, Virginia. He has served on numerous AAM Accreditation Visiting Committees, as a faculty member for the Seminar for Historical Administration and as a consultant for the AAM Museum Assessment Program. He has also been a trustee of the American Association for State & Local History and a Grants Reviewer/Panelist for IMLS, NEH and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.

His particular area of expertise is the management and leadership of cultural institutions, and he enjoys teaching because it gives him the opportunity to share his varied experiences with students.