The Corcoran has hired former political fundraiser Liz Mixer as its associate director of individual giving. She began the position yesterday.
Mixer will specialize in exhibitions, drawing from her background in sales and marketing at Georgetown gallery Susan Calloway Fine Arts. Though most recently, she was the national finance director for Virginia Senator Mark Warner, and before that, she served as Southeast finance director for former North Carolina Senator John Edwards‘ 2008 presidential bid.
That’s not all the hiring Corcoran is doing in its fundraising department—-a staffer at the gallery says they plan to make two more hires before the end of the year. The hiring surge comes after at least two months of anemic human resources in the department as the Corcoran tried to determine its staffing needs amid ongoing financial struggles.
From a statement provided to City Paper this afternoon:
The Board of Trustees and staff of the Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art + Design are delighted to welcome Liz Mixer, Associate Director of Individual Giving, to its team of dedicated development and membership professionals. Ms. Mixer brings years of fundraising and marketing experience in the art and political worlds, and joined the team on Monday, November 5.
Liz Mixer is the Associate Director of Individual Giving with a focus on exhibitions. Before arriving at the Corcoran, she assisted in sales and marketing at Susan Calloway Fine Arts in Washington, D.C. Since 2007 Mixer has held leadership positions in political fundraising for U.S. senate and presidential campaigns.
Throughout her political career Mixer has achieved significant fundraising success by managing fundraisers, principals and staff at the highest levels and by cultivating donor relationships. Most recently, Mixer served as National Finance Director for U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner. Her previous political fundraising experience include roles as the Northeast Regional Finance Director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Senior Associate at Straus/Baker, a political fundraising and consulting firm, in New York City and Southeast Finance Director for U.S. Senator John Edwards’s 2008 presidential campaign.
Mixer is a lifelong Washingtonian, returning to the area after graduating from Colgate University in 2006 with a BA, cum laude with departmental honors in Art and Art History.
“Liz’s strong record of fundraising experience, coupled with her passion for the arts, will be an asset to the Corcoran,” said Fred Bollerer, Director and President. “We expect to continue to bolster the department with new talent in the coming weeks and months.”
Additionally, Caleb Fey, formerly Alumni Relations Manager, has taken on the role of Manager of Membership and Alumni Relations. Darci Spasojevich, Special Assistant to the Director and President, will assist the department as administrative manager.
Photo by Darrow Montgomery