Virginia Shearer

Virginia Shearer is currently the Executive Director of the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design. She was previously the Eleanor McDonald Storza Director of Education at the High Museum of Art. She joined the High as the Associate Director of Education in the spring of 2005 and led the Museum’s public programs team during a period of significant growth which included opening the Greene Family Education Center as a part of the Renzo Piano designed expansion project, the Louvre Atlanta partnership, and most recently the development of successful young audience initiatives including the inaugural teen program. Prior to that, she served as the Deputy Director for Education and Public Programs at the Tampa Museum of Art, and the Director of Education at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. Virginia received a M.A.T. (1997) in Museum Education from The George Washington University, and a B.A. (1992) in Humanities from the Florida State University. In addition, Shearer previously coordinated the ImaginAsia family program for the Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. She served as the Southeastern Region Director for the Museum Education Division of the National Art Education Association from 2004-2006.