1. Media Contact:
Gus Nodal
Landis Communications Inc.
P: 415.359.2320
gus@landispr.com
www.landispr.com
DRAFT FOR REVIEW ONLY
Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)
Appoints Michael Warr as Deputy Director
Poet, Consultant and Arts Administrator Joins the MoAD Team
to Lead Organization’s Future Growth Efforts
SAN FRANCISCO(Sept.21, 2015) – The Museumof the AfricanDiaspora
(MoAD) announcedtodaythe appointmentof Michael Warras itsnewdeputy
director.Inthisprincipal leadershiprole,Warr will overseethe museum’s
operationsandplanning.
“We’re fortunate andreallyexcited tohave a talentlike Michael jointhe
MoAD leadershipteam,”saidLindaHarrison,MoAD’sexecutivedirector.
“Michael’sin-depthknowledgeandexperience instrategicplanningandthe
humanities allowshimto flow seamlessly betweenthe non-profit, foundation
and corporate worlds.These skills are imperative asMoADcontinuesits
transformationinto afine artsmuseumwitha national presence.”
“MoAD offersanincredible opportunitytobe partof a talentedteam witha
dynamicboardof directorsthathas a real reputation forexcellence,”said
Warr. “I’m honoredtojoinMoAD justin time forits 10th
anniversaryandlook
forwardto servingthis unique SanFrancisco institutionforyearstocome.”
Before joiningMoAD,Warrran his ownconsultingpractice focusingon planning,managingandimplementing
projectsfora wide range of non-profitorganizations,including:SanFranciscoPride,Cave Canem(“A Place for
Black Writers”),RedPoppyArtHouse, Marcus ShelbyJazzOrchestra,andMacarthur Foundation,amongothers.
Previoustothese duties,he servedas executivedirectorof DanceAfricaChicagoandseveral othernonprofits,
and as a consultantat CompassPointNonprofitServices. He alsoworkedas an Africacorrespondentforthe BBC,
The Guardian,African Confidentialandothermediaoutlets.
Warr isalsoa widelypublishedauthorandpoet.He is the PoetryEditorof the upcoming Of Poetry & Protest–
FromEmmett Till to Trayvon Martin. Amonghismostnotable achievements:recipientof the 2014 Creative
Work Fundaward forhis multimediaproject, “TracingPoeticMemoryinBayview HuntersPoint”;recipientof
the 2012 PEN OaklandJosephine MilesAwardforExcellence inLiterature;recipientof the 2012 PoetryHonor
Awardfrom the BlackCaucus of the AmericanLibraryAssociation(BCALA); andrecipientof the Gwendolyn
BrooksSignificantIllinoisPoetsAward,aNational Endowmentof the ArtsCreative WritingFellowship. Hismajor
worksinclude TheArmageddonof Funk(2011),PowerLines: A Decade of Poetry FromChicago’sGuild Complex
(1999) as a co-editorandWe Are All The Black Boy (1991).
MoAD’s deputy director Michael
Warr © MoAD

2. Media Contact:
Gus Nodal
Landis Communications Inc.
P: 415.359.2320
gus@landispr.com
www.landispr.com
About Museumof African Diaspora (MoAD)
Museumof the AfricanDiaspora(MoAD) isan arts and cultural institutiondedicatedtopreservingthe storiesof
our commonAfricanheritage andsharingthose storieswithaudiencesfromaroundthe world.Situatedinthe
heartof the Yerba BuenaArtsDistrictin San Francisco,MoAD isactivelyengagedinbuildingacommunitythat
inspires,educatesandconnectspeopleof all agesandbackgrounds.
MoAD seekstobuilda deeperunderstandingof the AfricanDiasporathroughart,programs andeventsthat
cultivate wonderandexcitementaboutthe waysinwhichourpersonal historiesare connected.As anonprofit
organization,the museum'soperationsandprogramsare supportedbygrants and contributionsfrompublicand
private sources.
As a SmithsonianInstitutionaffiliate,MoADhasaccess to the SmithsonianInstitution’s136millionartifact
collectionforresearch,exhibitsandprogramming.MoADjoinsanetworkof more than 190 organizationsin45
states,PuertoRicoand Panamáwitha sharedgoal of creatinglastingexperiencesthateducate,inspire and
broadenperspectivesonscience,history,worldculture andthe arts.To learnmore and to supportMoAD, visit
www.moadsf.org.
MEDIA PLEASE NOTE: To requestan interview withMr.Warr, please contact Gus Nodal at (415) 359-2320 or
gus@landispr.com.
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