San Diego Museum Council Welcomes New Executive Director Bob Lehman
SAN DIEGO – The board of directors of the San Diego Museum Council (SDMC) has named Bob Lehman as the organization’s next executive director. Lehman is a highly successful nonprofit leader with expertise in organizational management, strategic planning, fundraising and institutional growth. He was previously the executive director of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus (2013-19) and the director of marketing and sales of the Phoenix Theater Cultural Center in Indianapolis (2019-21).
“Bob’s visionary leadership as director in performing arts organizations transfers extremely well to our association of San Diego County museums,” says SDMC’s incoming Board Chair Christine Stokes. “We are incredibly fortunate to have him as our new Executive Director and look forward to the leadership he brings to the museum community.”
"As we reopen our City, now is the time to embrace and celebrate all that makes San Diego such a wonderful place to visit and reside, including our world-class museums and cultural institutions. I’m excited to help share the wide diversity of subjects and stories that tell our history and shape our future," says Lehman.
As executive director of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus, Lehman was extremely active in the community, building relationships and promoting diversity and inclusion. Under his leadership the organization was named Non-Profit of the Year for 2016 by the Greater San Diego Business Association. Also in 2016 Lehman was named “Humanitarian of the Year” by the City of San Diego to honor his service to the community.
The San Diego Museum Council is a regional network that connects museums and cultural institutions with audiences and each other. The Council has approximately 40 member organizations, and provides year-round collective marketing services, professional development programs, and organizes three annual collaborative programs each year: San Diego Museum Month, The Big Exchange (for museum members), and, in collaboration with the San Diego Tourism Authority, Kids Free in October.
