SJIMA leadership transition | Letter

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Dear SJIMA Community,

I want to thank you all for your gracious welcoming of me into the Executive Director role back in 2024. With a mixture of sadness, anticipation, and deep satisfaction, I write to share that I will be wrapping up my leadership of SJIMA later this month.

Your museum is in excellent shape and steadily moving forward. Over the last year and a half, the museum has expanded our membership, seen a record number of visitors, grown our educational offerings, and strengthened our finances. There are exciting exhibitions booked or in development well into 2027. Under the direction of the Board and the excellent ongoing work of Wendy Smith, SJIMA will continue to be a jewel in San Juan County’s collection of artistic vibrancy.

It has truly been a pleasure to serve in this role. I want to thank all of our exhibiting artists, who have shared their hearts, souls, and visions with us. I want to thank the many volunteers who have stepped up and helped us deliver excellent programs and services. I want to thank the many members, donors, and museum friends who have shown great enthusiasm for support, reconciliation, and hope. I would definitely like to thank our Board, past and current, who pour countless hours into strengthening SJIMA and dreaming about its bold future – and especially Board President Kim Miller, who has invested tremendous resources and effort into this museum.

In addition, I’d like to thank our staff and operational volunteers – our education team of teachers, our reception team (Marty and June!), who welcome our guests, our Docents under the leadership of Marney Reynolds, those who share their incredible industry expertise with us (Dianne Hall, Mark Kyle, Roy Cox, Dante Aubert and many more). You all make SJIMA so much better.

And finally, I’d like to thank Wendy. Wendy is on the Mount Rushmore of SJIMA and I am so glad the museum remains in her steady, skilled, and experienced hands.

I look forward to continuing to support SJIMA and watching its bright future!

Blake DeYoung

Executive Director