Our Guest Juror: Kurt T. Steinberg, Ed.D.

Peabody Essex Museum’s Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Steinberg takes a purpose driven approach to achieve meaningful results through support of staff and active engagement in the community. He has been an authority in operations and arts administration for over 20 years. 

Most recently, he was the 8th President of Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Mass., on Boston’s North Shore. This followed 12 years as Executive Vice President and Acting President at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Dr. Steinberg’s focus has been to promote the ideas of a creative life; a mutual commitment made between the college, its students and its alumni to a lifelong relationship of helping artists, designers and artist educators achieve their creative goals. He strongly believes in fostering the diversity of creating traditions as a way to challenge both students and faculty to expand their social and global awareness. In support of these ideas, he focused on the expansion of Montserrat’s presence internationally and nationally through affiliations in China, Bahamas, Japan, India, the New World in Miami, Florida, and NOCCA, Louisiana’s arts conservatory. 

Dr. Steinberg has lectured on nonprofit finance, inclusive planning, nonprofit fundraising and community relations, as well as the power of innovation and design through art education in China, Japan, India and the United States. He continues to participate in site visits for the New England Commission on Higher Education (NECHE), the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) and the National Association of Schools of Dance (NASD). He serves on the boards of the North Shore Alliance for Economic Development, the St. Botolph Club Foundation, the Danforth Art Museum Alliance and as a Commissioner of the Essex National Heritage Commission. He most recently served as a Nominator for the Boston Foundation/Brother Thomas Fellowship, Treasurer and Executive Committee Member of the Association of Independent Colleges of Art &Design and as Secretary on the National Association of Schools of Art and Design Executive Committee. 

Dr. Steinberg holds a bachelor of arts in international relations from Syracuse University and a master of public administration from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University. He earned his doctorate in organizational leadership from Northeastern University.