Global Conversations 2021

Ximena Varela is a researcher, educator, and consultant with more than 25 years of experience in arts management curricular design (both on campus and online), museum management, international cultural policy, management practice, marketing strategy, arts management research, and culturally sustainable development. A skilled negotiator and facilitator, she has worked with and advised international organizations, national and regional governments, city agencies, as well as private and nonprofit organizations in arts funding and arts policy. She has published, lectured and taught extensively in the United States, Latin America, Europe and China. Currently, she serves as President of the Association of Arts Administration Educators (AAAE) and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Sociomuseology. She has been a board member of the Latin American Institute of Museums since 2000. Formerly, Prof. Varela served on the boards of the Bach Sinfonia, Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Arts Management. A champion of inclusive practice and diverse leadership in arts organization, Prof. Varela is the Faculty Chair for the President’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion, and the 2018 winner of the College of Arts and Science’s Dean’s Award for “Outstanding Contributions to an Inclusive Community,” and serves as Co-Chair of American University President’s Council for Diversity and Inclusion. Prof. Varela holds an MA in Arts Management for Drexel University, has course PhD studies in Comparative Politics from Temple University, two undergraduate degrees in Business and Finance from the Catholic University of Uruguay, and is a certified Teacher of English to Students of Other Languages. Ximena teaches courses in Museum Management, Marketing the Arts, International Cultural Management, Art and the City, Research Methods, and is Chair for the Arts Management theses.