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IMLS Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew Announces Two Key Appointments to Leadership Team
Paula Gangopadhyay and Ammie Farraj Feijoo bring a wealth of experience to benefit the IMLS mission
Washington, DC— Today, Institute of Museum and Library Services Director Dr. Kathryn K. Matthew announced that Paula Gangopadhyay will serve as the agency’s new Deputy Director, Office of Museum Services, and Ammie Farraj Feijoo will assume the newly created role of Deputy Director, Office of Digital and Information Strategy.
“I am so pleased to have Paula and Ammie join our team,” said Matthew. “Paula has over 20 years of cross-industry work experience and is considered a thought-leader in the museum field. Ammie is an expert at finding innovative solutions to technological problems and is adept at analyzing big data. Both will be tremendous assets as we continue to serve museums and libraries across the country.”
Paula Gangopadhyay has worked in small, medium and large museums and cultural organizations, as well as government, business and education sectors, where she led systemic change and positive community impact at local, state, and national levels. She is a respected thought-leader on innovation in education and has been the recipient of several state and national awards and recognitions. Gangopadhyay has held a variety of positions including, serving as the Chief Learning Officer at The Henry Ford museums from 2008 to 2015; Executive Director of the Plymouth Community Arts Council from 2006 to 2008; Curator of Education, Public Programs, Visitor Services and Volunteers at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids from 2002 to 2006; and Executive Director of the Great Lakes Center for Education, Research and Practice from 2000 to 2001. She was Executive Director of the Commission for Lansing Schools Success (CLASS) from 1998 to 2000 and Executive Director of Meridian Historical Village from 1995 to 1998. As an independent evaluation consultant for over seven years, she has led formative and summative evaluation directed at producing measurable outcomes. Gangopadhyay received her B.A. and M.A. in history from Indore University, her post-graduate certification in archival, museum, and editing studies from Duquesne University, Pittsburg, PA, and an education policy fellowship from the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL). She will join IMLS on January 25.
Ammie Farraj Feijoo recently led the team that developed DigitalGov Search, GSA's search engine that is optimized to deliver fast, relevant search results for visitors searching on government websites. Under her leadership, the number of sites using DigitalGov Search grew from 300 to more than 2,100 and the number of searches expanded from 5.4 million to 23 million per month. She has used her expertise with innovative technologies to help others find solutions to big-data problems. She has also used her passion for creating meaningful analytics as a way to better reach constituents and understand how web and digital investments are being leveraged. Feijoo is currently on detail to the Department of State. Before joining GSA, she worked as a librarian for the Congressional Research Service and Advocates for Youth. She holds a BA in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Library Science from the University of Maryland. She will join IMLS in mid-February.
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 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.