Le Monte Booker appointed as President and CEO at Newfields
Le Monte Booker image courtesy of Newfields
Le Monte Booker, the former CFO of the Field Museum in Chicago, has been appointed as President and Chief Executive Officer at Newfields, formerly known as the Indianapolis Museum of Art. This comes ten months after the previous CEO Colette Pierce Burnette, the museum’s first Black leader, left her position. The departure of Burnette, who made significant moves in terms of outreach to the Black community in Indianapolis and to Black artists, came after only 15 months on the job.
It came three and a half years after Charles Venable, the previous president and CEO, was forced to resign for posting a racially insensitive job listing.
Le Monte Booker’s primary responsibilities at the Field Museum included finance, facilities planning, grants administration, endowment investment, institutional construction projects, and tax-exempt debt compliance.
“He additionally oversaw accounting, strategic financial planning, grants administration, endowment investments, tax-exempt debt compliance and major institutional construction projects. During his time at the Field Museum, he briefly served as the President and CEO and has also overseen human resources, retail, restaurant, special events, group sales, vending and business development. In 2023, Booker was one of the not-for-profit finalists for ‘CFO of the Year’ by Financial Executives International Chicago,” per the Newfields press release.
Booker will officially start in his capacity as president and CEO in late October 2024.
"Mr. Booker emerged as a clear frontrunner in our national search — an inspirational and collaborative leader with two decades of experience in the not-for-profit and museum sectors. His visionary approach, coupled with his operational skills and his trusted presence as an ambassador, makes him an exceptional fit for Newfields and the Indianapolis community," said Anne Sellers, Chair of the Search Committee, in the press release. "His peers and colleagues consistently describe him as thoughtful, pragmatic and unwavering in his integrity. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team."
But local musician, artist, and engaged community member Wildstyle Paschall, who participated in a Nov. 23, 2023 protest at Newfields that called for a reinstatement of Dr. Colette Pierce Burnette as CEO and president, has a different point of view.
Calls to reinstate Dr. Collette Pierce Burnette at “Klufields” Protest
“My view is that they could probably hire Barack Obama to be he CEO and it’s STILL not going to improve Newfields as an institution if the board leadership does not change,” he wrote in a Facebook message.
