Two of Atlanta’s leading arts organizations are reshaping their leadership, bringing in figures whose backgrounds extend beyond the traditional art world. The High Museum of Art and the Atlanta Design Festival announced new boards in recent weeks, reflecting a broader strategy: building institutions that draw on expertise in business, education, design, and civic life as well as culture.
Earlier in September, the High Museum named four new members to its board of directors: Robin Delmer, Katie Johnson, Kelly Layton, and Hassan K. Smith.
Delmer is cofounder of Monarch Private Capital, a firm active in renewable energy and affordable housing, and serves on boards including Atlanta’s Westside Future Fund
Johnson, a longtime museum supporter, has been closely involved with the High’s Wine Auction and is cochair of the Georgia Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
Layton, a Georgia native and freelance designer, has supported arts education at the University of Georgia, where she funded the Layton Design Studio at the Lamar Dodd School of Art.
Smith is founder of Ellaby Holdings LLC, a collector of African diaspora art, and senior advisor to artist John Legend. He is active with the Black Trustee Alliance for Art Museums and 100 Black Men of Atlanta.
High Museum Board Chair Dan Baldwin said the appointments are part of ensuring the museum operates “in a sustainable, inclusive, and exceptional fashion.”
Robin Delmer, cofounder of Monarch Private Capital and new member of the High Museum of Art board. 
Katie Johnson, longtime museum supporter and new member of the High Museum of Art board. 
Hassan K. Smith, entrepreneur, art collector, and new member of the High Museum of Art board. 
Kelly Layton, Georgia designer and new member of the High Museum of Art board.
ADF’s New Advisory Council
Also in recent days, the Atlanta Design Festival (ADF) introduced its inaugural Advisory Board. The group will serve two-year volunteer terms, providing guidance as the festival expands its reach and explores new markets and funding models. Founder Bernard McCoy said the board’s purpose is to keep the festival “connected, relevant, and effective” by engaging leaders from business, policy, and education as well as design.
ADF’s Advisory Board members bring a wide range of backgrounds.
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Ingrid van der Wacht is a member of the World Design Weeks board and works with the Dutch Design Foundation, one of Europe’s most prominent design organizations.
Katherine Dirga directs MARTA’s ArtBound program, which brings visual and performing arts into Atlanta’s transit system.
Todd Bertsch is an architect and former Design Director at HOK, an international design, architecture, engineering, and planning firm.
Andrew Graves is an economic researcher with ORTUS and author of a major design economy study for the UK Design Council. His work focuses on brand insight and the role of design in national economies.
Dr. EunSook Kwon is chair and professor at the School of Industrial Design in the Georgia Tech College of Design, where she leads academic and industry partnerships in applied design.
LeKeith Taylor is principal at M-SCELLANEOUS™ and cofounder of DESYN.LAB™, working at the intersection of equity, design, and cultural production.
Adriane Jefferson is executive director of the City of Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, where she oversees programs and policy for the arts across the city.
Simon “Sy” Gray is a brand builder, cofounder of DESYN.LAB™. He is based in Amsterdam.
Taken together, the appointments show Atlanta’s cultural institutions looking outward for guidance — to finance, academia, public service, and international networks — in addition to the arts. As both the High and ADF position themselves for growth, they are signaling that the future of Atlanta’s cultural landscape will be shaped by leaders whose influence reaches across sectors.
