Shara Pollie, photo by Joseph Hu
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Shara Pollie has been named senior associate director for Museum development at the Princeton University Art Museum. With more than twenty years of non-profit leadership, Pollie joins the Museum from the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, where she served first as senior director of development and then as executive vice president. She began her new position at Princeton on February 12, 2024.
As the Museum prepares for the 2025 opening of its new building—which will roughly double space for the exhibition, conservation, study, and interpretation of the Museum’s globe-spanning collections—Pollie will work closely with Museum Director James Steward and the University’s development team to lead the Museum’s fundraising strategies, including donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship, during a time of dramatic institutional change and growth. Pollie will also lead efforts to secure new endowed funding and to grow all forms of annual support and planned giving.
“Shara brings a proven track record of creativity and successful leadership across a number of renowned museums and cultural institutions,” said James Steward, Nancy A. Nasher–David J. Haemisegger, Class of 1976, Director. “We’re thrilled to have her join our team during a time of exciting institutional change, and I look forward to working with her to realize our mission of making great art a powerful part of the lived experience of all the communities we serve.”
During her six-year tenure at the Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, Pollie oversaw the successful completion of a capital campaign to expand the Parkway Central Library and launched new membership programs and major gifts strategies, among other achievements. During the COVID-19 pandemic and amid leadership changes, her team maintained annual non-capital revenue in excess of $10 million. Previously she served as senior director of development at the Barnes Foundation, where she led the planning and execution of an ambitious development strategy that included a significant increase of staff, the growth of membership programs, and expansion in all areas of restricted giving. Prior to her eight-year tenure at the Barnes Foundation, Pollie led the institutional giving team at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Pollie received her JD from Rutgers Law School and a BS in education from Rutgers University. She also has long-standing ties to Princeton, as the parent of an alumnus of the Class of 2007.
“I’m honored to join this team of professionals dedicated to expanding the Museum’s teaching, collecting, and community initiatives. With so much momentum leading up to the reopening, I’m eager to get started—engaging with the Princeton community and beyond—and look forward to working alongside our team to support the next chapter of this incredible institution,” Pollie said.
With a collecting history that extends back to 1755, the Princeton University Art Museum is one of the leading university art museums in the country, featuring collections that have grown to include more than 115,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary art and spanning the globe. Committed to advancing Princeton’s teaching and research missions, the Art Museum also serves as a gateway to the University for visitors from around the world.
The main Museum building is currently closed for the construction of a bold and welcoming new building, slated to open in 2025.
Art on Hulfish, a gallery project of the Art Museum located at 11 Hulfish Street, is open daily. Art@Bainbridge, a gallery project at 158 Nassau Street, is open Tuesday through Sunday. Admission to both galleries is free. Please visit the Museum’s website for digital access to the collections, a diverse portfolio of programs, and details on visiting our downtown galleries. The Museum Store in Palmer Square, located at 56 Nassau Street in downtown Princeton, is open daily, or shop online at www.princetonmuseumstore.org.
