Merkel comes to the National Gallery from Arena Stage, where he served as chief development officer

Washington, DC—The National Gallery of Art announced today that Ryan Merkel has been hired as the museum’s new principal gifts officer and assumed the role on December 1.

As the National Gallery’s principal gifts officer, Merkel will work with the chief development officer Sean O’Connor and members of our development team to identify and cultivate major philanthropic gifts from individuals in the private sector in support of the nation’s art museum. Merkel will work to expand the National Gallery’s donor base to support our renowned exhibitions, programming, and strategic initiatives.

Over the past 15 years, Merkel has dedicated himself to funding mission-driven museums and arts organizations, most recently as chief development officer at Washington’s Arena Stage, one of the largest producing theaters in the country. As a member of the executive team, he oversaw the management of thousands of donors and facilitated a range of fundraising campaigns stewarding the growth of the organization while ensuring that values and ethics remained at the center of philanthropic contributions. His leadership also played a pivotal role in the theater’s navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, raising millions of dollars to ensure the institution’s stability and continued growth.

“Over the course of his career, Ryan has worked in all facets of the development field, securing major gifts to support the expansion and mission of all of the organizations he’s worked for,” said Sean O’Connor, the National Gallery of Art’s chief development officer. “He will play a key role as we continue to expand our donor base to span and reflect the nation, allowing us to do the same in all of the museum’s work. We can’t wait to have him on board.”

Merkel began his career in development at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, where he worked for three years. He also worked at the Newseum for four years as manager and then director of individual giving.

Merkel holds a BSBA in marketing from the University of Florida and an MA in strategic communication from the University of Maryland.