David Cary Brings 15 Years of Advocacy and Public Policy Experience to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Richmond, Virginia — The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of David Cary as the museum’s new director of government relations.
“David’s dedication to public service and passion for cultural enrichment make him a valuable asset to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and our community,” said Director and CEO Alex Nyerges. “He will help us to ensure that the museum and its captivating exhibitions, vast permanent art collection and inspiring educational programs continue to be accessible to and enjoyed by all Virginians.”
“VMFA is a state-supported, privately endowed educational institution created for the benefit of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Chief Strategy Officer and Deputy Director for Strategic Planning, Government and Board Relations Caprice Bragg. “The museum’s purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art, to encourage the study of the arts and to enrich the lives of all. As the museum’s director of government relations, David will work to advance the museum’s mission.”
Cary brings to the position 15 years of issue advocacy experience at the local, state and federal levels, along with public policy experience gained from his work in the executive and legislative branches of the Commonwealth. He has a distinguished background in governmental affairs and in building coalitions between stakeholders and elected leaders across Virginia.
In his previous roles as chief of staff to former First Lady of Virginia Pamela Northam and assistant secretary of education in the Office of Governor Ralph Northam, Cary focused on early learning programs. He led an extensive $340 million initiative to expand and unify Virginia’s early childhood education system. Most recently, he worked in the Virginia House of Delegates as chief of staff to the former Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn.
A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Cary has also been a VMFA member for 13 years. “I look forward to cultivating and strengthening relationships with government officials while advocating for VMFA’s mission of enriching lives through art and culture,” he said.
For more information about the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, visit www.VMFA.museum.
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Media Contacts
Jan Hatchette | (804) 204-2721 | jan.hatchette@vmfa.museum
Amy Peck | (804) 773-1791 | amy.peck@vmfa.museum
MacLaine Bamberger | (804) 204-2717 | maclaine.bamberger@vmfa.museum
200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Richmond, VA 23220
About the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the largest comprehensive art museums in the United States. VMFA, which opened in 1936, is a state agency and privately endowed educational institution. Its purpose is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret art, and to encourage the study of the arts. Through the Office of Statewide Partnerships program, the museum offers curated exhibitions, arts-related audiovisual programs, symposia, lectures, conferences, and workshops by visual and performing artists. In addition to presenting a wide array of special exhibitions, the museum provides visitors with the opportunity to experience a global collection of art that spans more than 6,000 years. VMFA’s permanent holdings encompass nearly 50,000 artworks, including the largest public collection of Fabergé outside of Russia, the finest collection of Art Nouveau outside of Paris and one of the nation’s finest collections of American art. VMFA is also home to important collections of Chinese art, English silver, and French Impressionist, Postimpressionist, British sporting and modern and contemporary art, as well as renowned South Asian, Himalayan and African art. In May 2010, VMFA opened the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing I after a transformative expansion, previously the largest in its history. A new expansion, the McGlothlin Wing II, is planned to open in 2028. Comprising more than 170,000 square feet, it will be the largest expansion in the museum’s history and will make VMFA the fifth largest art museum in the United States.
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is the only art museum in the United States open 365 days a year with free general admission. For additional information, telephone (804) 340-1400 or visit www.VMFA.museum.