Phoenix Art Museum appoints new head of education programs

May, 30, 2025

Board of Trustees and Leadership

Phoenix Art Museum appoints new head of education programs

Jessica Jacobson will lead the Museum’s educational programming efforts as its new Director of Education

PHOENIX (May 30, 2025) – Phoenix Art Museum has selected Jessica Jacobson to serve as the Museum’s new Director of Education. In this role, Jacobson will spearhead the Museum’s continued efforts to provide a wide array of family-friendly arts-education opportunities for the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area and audiences throughout the Southwest. She assumes the role after serving as interim Director of Education and Engagement since March 2024. Jacobson’s appointment is effective immediately.

“We are thrilled to share that Jessica Jacobson has been named the Museum’s Director of Education,” said Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Museum’s Sybil Harrington Director and CEO. “With a deep passion for arts advocacy and engaging audiences of all ages through accessible, dynamic programming, Jessica brings more than a decade of experience in the nonprofit and corporate arts sector, along with a background in secondary-school arts education. Under her steady leadership, the Museum’s education team will focus on advancing the institution’s strategic plan to foster growth, develop family audiences, and strengthen our connection to the Greater Phoenix community and beyond.” 

As the Director of Education, Jacobson will lead the Museum’s educational efforts, including the development and management of family and school programs, volunteer and intern programs, library and archive services, and the creation of a new family activity center. She will also oversee and work alongside the Museum’s Docents, more than 250 volunteer educators who play an integral role in providing arts education to the community through on-site tours and off-site art presentations for youth and older-adult audiences.

“I am very excited to serve as the Museum’s Director of Education,” said Jacobson. “My goal is to deepen the Museum’s work in early childhood education, family programs, and K-12 initiatives. We want our neighbors, families, artists, seniors, and professionals to view the Museum as a place of respite and creativity, of self-discovery and play, of learning more about one another and more about themselves. Through meaningful, shared experiences and creative exploration, our vision is to reflect and support the diverse audiences we serve and foster the next generation of artists, arts advocates, and culturally engaged communities.”

Jacobson previously served as the Museum’s Assistant Director of Education, responsible for supervising and supporting the Museum’s Docents, managing the K-12 school tours program, and spearheading engagement opportunities and activities for Arizona educators. Before beginning her tenure at Phoenix Art Museum in 2021, Jacobson worked in arts education and administration at museums and cultural spaces such as the Denver Art Museum, Art Institute of Tucson, and Christos Collective. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and Visual Culture Education from the University of Arizona and a Master of Arts in Leadership and Cultural Management from Colorado State University.

For more information, contact the Museum’s Communications Office at samantha.andreacchi@phxart.org or 602.257.2105.

About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) has engaged millions of visitors with the art of our region and world. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, PhxArt creates spaces of exchange and belonging for all audiences through dynamic exhibitions, collections, and experiences with art. Each year, 300,000 guests on average engage with critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s collection of more than 21,000 works of American and Western American, Asian, European, Latin American, modern, and contemporary art and fashion design, along with vibrant photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership with the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona in Tucson. PhxArt also presents live performances, outstanding examples of global cinema, arts-education programs and workshops, an art+music festival, and more for the community. To learn more about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.