IMLS Announces New Deputy Director, Office of Museum Services
Laura Huerta Migus to Bring Museum Association Expertise, Diverse Industry Experience to Federal Agency

Washington, DC—The Institute of Museum and Library Services is pleased to announce Laura Huerta Migus as the agency's new Deputy Director, Office of Museum Services. Huerta Migus comes to IMLS from the Association of Children's Museums (ACM), where she served as Executive Director.

As Deputy Director, Huerta Migus will lead the agency's museum programs, which are the primary source of federal funding for museum services in the United States. In FY 2020, around $38 million was awarded to museums and related organizations of all sizes and types across the nation.

“Laura has been a force in the museum world for children,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “She has also been a great partner for IMLS in our signature program, Museums for All, and a good counselor to our REALM Project as part of its steering committee. We are delighted she is joining us in this important new role and bringing her energy, insight, and experience to IMLS for the benefit of museums across America.”

Starting July 19, Huerta Migus’ oversight will include the agency's museum grant programs and special funding initiatives, including Museums for America, Inspire! Grants for Small Museums, Museums Empowered, National Leadership Grants for Small Museums, Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum Services, and Museum Grants for African American History and Culture. This year, IMLS is also offering American Rescue Plan Grants for museums, and these awards will address community needs created or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and in assisting with recovery.

“Taking on the role of Deputy Director, Office of Museum Services, is an incredible honor and comes at a time of great need and opportunity for the museum field,” said Huerta Migus. “I am excited to be joining IMLS to advance a bold agenda for strengthening museums’ roles as critical resources for communities across the country.”

In her new leadership role, Huerta Migus will also guide signature agency programs administered through cooperative agreements, such as:

• The Museum Assessment Program (MAP), a cooperative agreement with the American Alliance of Museums to help small and medium-sized museums assess their strengths and weaknesses in order to meet professional standards, grow, and work towards sustainability.

• The Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program, a cooperative agreement with the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC), which provides small and mid-sized museums with funding to assist with a study of all of the institution’s collections, buildings, and building systems, as well as its policies and procedures relating to collections care.

• Museums for Digital Learning, a new initiative enabling museums of all sizes and disciplines to share digitized collections and other resources more broadly with K-12 educators across the country.

In 2018, Huerta Migus was named as an Ascend Fellow of the Aspen Institute, and in 2016 she was recognized as a Champion of Change for Summer Opportunity by the White House. She is a noted speaker and author on topics of equity and audience-focused museum practice for institutions including the Board of Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, the U.S. Play Coalition, and various university texts.

Previously, she served as the Director of Professional Development and Equity Initiatives at the Association of Science-Technology Centers, Inc., and also held positions at the National Multicultural Institute and the National Association for Bilingual Education.

Huerta Migus earned a B.A. in Spanish from Texas A&M University and an M.S. in Organization Development and Leadership from Saint Joseph’s University.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation's libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.