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Missouri Humanities Council Announces Geoff Giglierano as New Executive Director

May 12, 2010

ST. LOUIS, MO – The Missouri Humanities Council’s newly appointed Executive Director, Geoff Giglierano, comes to Missouri with more than 30 years of experience as a consultant and administrator, educator and historian at a variety of museums and non-profit organizations throughout the country. Giglierano plans to expand the impact of the Council and increase its relevance to Missouri residents and communities by supporting public conversations and programs that will promote a civil, literate and thoughtful society.

“Geoff will be an outstanding executive director for the Missouri Humanities Council. He rose to the top of nearly 90 applications we received for the position given his keen intellect, engaging personality, and wide variety of experiences in the humanities,” says Eric Zahnd, Board Member and Chair of the Executive Director Search Committee of the Missouri Humanities Council. “Of course, these are challenging times for all not-for-profit institutions, but we are confident Geoff will lead the Missouri Humanities Council to great new heights as we work to promote engagement in the humanities across Missouri.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Missouri Humanities Council, Jim E. Tanner added, “Geoff has an extensive background in museum programming and administration, development and communications, and in assisting organizations as they go through transitions. All of us join in wishing him well as he takes on his new responsibilities and begins working with the Council while we move into an era of exciting possibilities.”

Originally from Ohio, Giglierano’s career has taken him to various parts of the country. His most recent position was in Connecticut as the Director of Marketing and Development for the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, the largest Native American museum in the United States.

“Moving to Missouri feels like I’m coming home to the Midwest,” Giglierano said. “It is such a diverse state, with so many stories related to the river trade, the western expansion, the Civil War and other subjects related to topics I have worked on for historical societies, museums and libraries in other regions. Missouri is made up of fascinating places with wonderful stories…yet so many of these stories of Missouri’s history and people are unfamiliar, or largely unknown. I look forward to having the opportunity to explore those stories with Missouri residents and communities.”

Giglierano’s career has included working as Development Director for the American Numismatic Society, Chief Curator of Military History for the New York State Department of Military and Naval Affairs, Director of the New York City Fire Museum, Director of Education and Deputy Director for Public Programs, Exhibits, and Publications at the Cincinnati History Museum at Museum Center, and Director of the Cincinnati Fire Museum.

Giglierano was the Director at the New York City Fire Museum on 9/11, an event that showed the positive impact a museum can have on a community.

“The museum became an important tool in the healing process, especially as it served as a location for a temporary memorial,” Giglierano said. “Everyone in New York at that time had something that they needed to share, and the museum served as one of the places where they could reflect, remember, and offer one another support.”

The Missouri Humanities Council helps diverse audiences to connect with the humanities by: providing encouragement and assistance to local libraries and museums in presenting humanities-based programming and exhibits; fostering connections between humanities scholars and the general public; and encouraging reading and facilitating discussion about books for families with young children as well as certain adult audiences, such as medical professionals.

“The humanities are vital elements of everyday life for individuals, communities and the nation. They constitute a society’s collective memory and conscience. In exploring these subjects, people from varied backgrounds and perspectives derive a better understanding not just of their differences, but also of what they hold in common,” added Giglierano. “The direction that our growth takes will be shaped by the ideas and perspectives of our constituents.”