Smithsonian American Art Museum Director Allegedly Dismissed Following Staff Complaints
**Leadership Turmoil at the Smithsonian American Art Museum: A Closer Look**
The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM), one of the United States’ premier institutions of American art, recently experienced a significant leadership shake-up. After a seven-year tenure filled with significant achievements but also marred by internal conflict, Stephanie Stebich was removed from her position as director in September 2023. This decision followed several years of staff complaints and concerns regarding her management style and the work culture she fostered at the museum. Here, we unravel the story behind the upheaval, the complaints, and the legacy Stebich leaves behind.
### The Rise and Fall of Stephanie Stebich as Director
In **April 2017**, Stephanie Stebich took the helm at SAAM, after over a decade of leading the Tacoma Art Museum in Washington State. With a strong reputation for fundraising — notably raising more than **$100 million** for SAAM during her tenure — many saw her as a key figure in enhancing the museum’s profile. However, despite her financial acumen, internal challenges in leadership eventually overshadowed Stebich’s fundraising successes.
According to a **Washington Post** article published in **November 2024**, Stebich’s leadership style created an environment of confusion, fear, and disillusionment among her colleagues. The report, based on interviews with nearly a dozen current and former museum employees, detailed allegations of erratic management, contradictory directives, and disruptive leadership tactics. Staff members further accused Stebich of shifting blame for her mistakes onto them and inciting competition and conflict among staff through title changes and demotions.
### Escalating Staff Discontent
The seeds of discontent grew well before Stebich’s eventual departure. As early as **2022**, internal concerns about workplace culture were raised, prompting a staff letter to Smithsonian leadership. This document, signed by senior staffers, outlined the mounting concerns over Stebich’s leadership. While these concerns remained largely within the Smithsonian’s administrative network, the growing unrest eventually prompted external scrutiny from the museum’s advisory board.
In **spring 2023**, consultants were hired to facilitate discussions following employee surveys that documented declining staff morale and satisfaction. A telling moment occurred during an all-staff meeting where consultants presented a digital “word cloud” created from anonymous staff submissions. Disturbingly, large terms such as “**toxic director**,” “bullying,” and “burnout” dominated the display, symbolizing employee experiences under Stebich’s leadership.
Despite the growing concern, Smithsonian leadership, reportedly seeking to retain Stebich, resisted ousting her. Conflict arose between those attempting to protect her and others advocating for her removal. In the summer of 2023, internal tensions reached a breaking point when members of the museum’s board of commissioners threatened to resign if action against Stebich was not taken. Ultimately, the board formally recommended her removal — a decision only finalized with the approval of Smithsonian Secretary **Lonnie G. Bunch III**.
### Stebich’s Departure and New Direction for SAAM
In **July 2023**, Stebich announced her indefinite medical leave, which preceded her official removal. By **September 3, 2023**, **Jane Carpenter-Rock** was appointed as **acting director** of SAAM, signaling a new chapter for the institution. Despite the controversy surrounding her departure, it is worth noting that Stebich continues to be involved with the Smithsonian, now serving as a **senior advisor to the Under Secretary for Museums and Culture**.
SAAM itself remained relatively quiet about Stebich’s departure. The museum’s communications have focused largely on the future, highlighting Carpenter-Rock’s interim leadership and the importance of steadying the institution during this transitional phase.
### Unanswered Questions and Legacy Concerns
While Stebich’s legacy includes substantial fundraising achievements, her managerial challenges raise critical questions about leadership within large cultural institutions. In the **Washington Post** report, even supportive members of the board acknowledged that while Stebich excelled at “**managing up**,” she consistently faltered in “**managing down**.” This stark difference in abilities — excelling in upward management while leaving subordinates in turmoil — appears to have contributed significantly to her downfall.
Moreover, some staff members took issue with Stebich’s decision-making in external partnerships. For example, the museum accepted a sizable donation from real estate developer **Albert H. Small** accompanied by an unusually large collection of **1,297 model cars**, some now displayed alongside revered American art by names like **Albert Bierstadt** and **Nam June Paik**. Internal criticism described the juxtaposition of model cars with fine art as an aesthetic mismatch, tarnishing the museum’s curatorial reputation.
Nevertheless, while internal turbulence captured headlines, some of Stebich’s defenders remain adamant that her contributions to SAAM — particularly in fundraising and institutional role-building