The Museum of Art Fort Collins (MoA) announces the planned departure of Executive Director Lisa Hatchadoorian, who will step down from her role in late July 2026 after
11 ½ years of leadership. Ms. Hatchadoorian is stepping down to pave the way for a new generation of leadership to move MoA forward. Board Chair, Steve VanderMeer states: “Lisa has been with MoA through the most consequential period of the museum’s existence. She has shepherded the organization through some of its biggest challenges, and greatest achievements. She will be leaving behind an organization that is stronger, more focused and more committed to its mission than it has ever been. While her departure will leave an enormous hole, MoA today is better positioned for success than ever. We can only wish Lisa the very best.”
Hatchadoorian’s leadership has guided MoA through the immense challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, purchasing the upper floors within the historic Old Post Office Building in May 2022, the creation of the inclusive and community oriented MoA for All program and Art Engagement Center, expanding the gallery footprint, creating the first naming opportunities for the museum with the Lynnette C. Jung-Springberg Gallery, the David A. Tyrrell Conference Room, the Peter D. Springberg, MD Vault Gallery with a partnership through CSU, and creating the former Art.Edu.Osity Creative Space for art education and interactive participation, transitioning to cutting edge LED lighting in the exhibition galleries, delivering insightful and meaningful local, regional and national exhibitions, and stabilizing the museums’ finances and organizational capacity to better serve our community. Rooted in her background as an art historian, teacher and educator and fueled by a lifelong passion for all of the arts, Hatchadoorian has kept community connection at the heart of her leadership and focus. All of which have resulted in significant growth in community engagement and impact.
Under Hatchadoorian and over the past decade, the museum has seen its operating budget grow from $330,000 to $600,000 as she and the MoA team and Board has added over $250,000 a year to the operating budget over time. Individual donations to the museum increased over 1700% from $11,000 to over $195,000 a year. At its peak, she helped raise attendance by 40%, going from 14,000 to over 23,000 attendees a year. She has also stewarded Masks, the museum’s beloved community fundraiser over 12 iterations while also overseeing the development of new events such as Art of the Garage, Night at the Museum, Art after Dark and the Art Show and Sale.
Throughout her tenure, she has brought such timely and impactful exhibitions to the community such as: Frida Kahlo through the lens of Nickolas Muray (2016), Elizabeth Morisette (2016), Speaking Volumes: Transforming Hate (2017), ReDress (Upcycled Style by Nancy Judd) (2017), Salvador Dali (from the Collection of Dr. Wayne Yakes) (2017), Awkward Family Photos and Haley Hasler (2018), Erika Osborne (2019), 50 Greatest Photographs of National Geographic (2019), Rocky Mountain Biennial/Triennial (ongoing), Beauty and the Beast: Lorri Acott and Adam Schultz (2021), Sean O’Meallie (2022), A Culture Preserved (in the Black Experience), curated by Louise Cutler (2022), Picasso as Printmaker from the Baller Art Collection (2022), FiberArt International (2023), To See Inside: Art, Architecture and Incarceration (2024), Nepantla (2024), Beyond Resilience (2025) and many others.
“I have been honored to steward MoA for the past eleven and a half years and watch it strengthen into the impactful and collaborative institution that it is today,” said Lisa Hatchadoorian. “I am exceptionally proud of all that we have accomplished, whether through our extraordinary exhibitions of local, regional and national artists, our expanded engagement with our community to the relationships we have built with our patrons, members, partners and supporters,” said Hatchadoorian.
The MoA Board of Directors has appointed a search committee to conduct a thoughtful process to identify a new executive director.