The Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA), located on the Housatonic Community College campus in downtown Bridgeport, has named Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, Ph. D. as the new director.

The Housatonic Museum of Art (HMA), located on the Housatonic Community College campus in downtown Bridgeport, has named Jennifer Reynolds-Kaye, Ph. D. as the new director.

Reynolds-Kaye’s museum and community college background, combined with a deep passion for student-focused arts programs, will help to further advance HMA, which boasts one of the most important community college art collections in the country.

“We are thrilled to announce Jennifer as our new HMA Director. Her knowledge and enthusiasm will help to raise national awareness of our collection of over 7,000 artworks and the museum’s wide array of invigorating programming,” said Dr. Dwayne Smith, CEO of Housatonic Community College.

Reynolds-Kaye most recently served as a consultant at Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, and as an Art History lecturer at Manchester Community College in Manchester, Connecticut. She held previous positions at a variety of museums and organizations, including the Yale Center for British Art and the Yale University Art Gallery. She received her Ph.D. in Art History from the University of Southern California, and participated in the Getty Leadership Institute NextGen program, among others.

“Academic art museums are my passion. Making the collection accessible online, and creating opportunities for students and the community to connect with the museum on a deep level are top priorities, as well as raising the profile of HMA and its incredible collection,” said Reynolds-Kaye.

The community is invited to come to meet Reynolds-Kaye at the opening reception for HMA’s newest exhibition, “June Ahrens: Reflecting Time” on Thursday, September 8 from 5:30 to 7pm. The event is free and the exciting exhibition exploring fragility and loss, as well as hope and renewal, will be on view through October 22, 2022.