Julie Alexander
Born 1967 · Age 58
American art historian and curator; longtime curator and leader at the Yale Center for British Art, deputy director for curatorial affairs at the San Diego Museum of Art, executive director of the Walters Art Museum (2013–2024), and president of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation (appointed fall 2024).
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Memphis, Tennessee
Julia Mary Alexander born to David and Catharine Alexander in Memphis, Tennessee.
Sixth-grade trip to Rome sparked interest in art
While in sixth grade she attended Mass at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome; cited as formative moment that sparked interest in art and architecture.
Graduated Wellesley College (BA)
Earned a B.A. in art history and French from Wellesley College; graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
Théodore Rousseau Fellowship / NYU study abroad
Received a Théodore Rousseau Fellowship associated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art; studied abroad with New York University in Paris and London.
Earned MA in French literature (NYU)
Completed a master's degree in French literature at New York University (as part of study abroad/fellowship activities).
Earned MA in the History of Art (Yale)
Completed a master’s degree in the history of art at Yale University (prior to PhD).
Joined Yale Center for British Art (YCBA) — start date (Wikipedia)
Reported by some sources to have begun her career at the YCBA in 1996 as an assistant curator of paintings and sculpture.
Married John Marciari
Marriage to John J. Marciari (NYT announcement published Aug 18, 1996).
Joined YCBA as assistant curator (Yale obituary)
Yale sources state she joined the YCBA as assistant curator of paintings and sculpture in 1997 while completing her dissertation.
Began teaching art history seminars at Yale
Taught undergraduate and graduate courses (including a noted seminar 'Women, Art, and Society') during her YCBA tenure and mentored students who went on to curatorial careers.
Co-curated 'This Other Eden' exhibition
Co-curated with Malcolm Warner 'This Other Eden: British Paintings from the Paul Mellon Collection at Yale', an exhibition that traveled to three Australian museums.
Completed PhD in the History of Art (Yale)
Completed doctoral dissertation at Yale University under advisor Judith Colton.
Key role in YCBA full reinstallation
Played a key role in the full reinstallation of the Yale Center for British Art's collection.
Appointed associate director of programmatic affairs (YCBA)
Promoted to associate director of programmatic affairs at the Yale Center for British Art.
Co-curated 'Painted Ladies: Women at the Court of Charles II'
Partnered with the National Portrait Gallery (London) and Catharine MacLeod to co-curate the exhibition 'Painted Ladies'.
Promoted to associate director for exhibitions and publications (YCBA)
Named associate director for exhibitions and publications at the Yale Center for British Art.
Exhibition: 'Britannia and Muscovy: English Silver at the Court of the Tsars'
Supported and helped bring to fruition the YCBA exhibition on English silver and its Russian connections.
Exhibition: 'Canaletto in England: A Venetian Artist Abroad, 1746–1755'
Played a significant role in the YCBA exhibition on Canaletto's years in England (2006).
Exhibition: 'Art and Emancipation in Jamaica'
Contributed to the YCBA exhibition 'Art and Emancipation in Jamaica: Isaac Mendes Belisario and His Worlds'.
Exhibition: 'Paul Mellon's Legacy: A Passion for British Art'
Supported and helped realize the YCBA show examining Paul Mellon's impact and legacy.
Time magazine recognition for Howard Hodgkin exhibition
Time magazine named 'Howard Hodgkin: Paintings, 1992–2007' one of the top 10 museum exhibitions of 2007.
Co-curated 'Howard Hodgkin: Paintings, 1992–2007'
Co-curated the Howard Hodgkin retrospective at YCBA; exhibition later named one of Time magazine's top 10 museum exhibitions of 2007.
Oversaw reinstallation of San Diego Museum of Art public galleries
As deputy director for curatorial affairs she oversaw the reinstallation of the museum's public galleries at SDMA.
Left Yale to join San Diego Museum of Art
Left the Yale Center for British Art and became deputy director for curatorial affairs at the San Diego Museum of Art.
Campaign that became $30M endowment began (context)
The endowment campaign that Walters completed in 2015 began prior to the 2008 financial crisis; the campaign spanned the period including her arrival as director later.
Served as co-interim director at San Diego Museum of Art
After the departure of the museum director, served as one of four co-interim directors of the San Diego Museum of Art.
Father David Alexander died
David Alexander, her father and former president of Pomona College and American secretary of the Rhodes Trust, died July 31, 2010 (reported in NYT).
LA Times recognition for SDMA exhibition
The San Diego Museum of Art's installation 'Thomas Gainsborough and the Modern Woman' was highlighted by the Los Angeles Times as one of the ten best California museum shows of 2011; Alexander oversaw curatorial work at SDMA.
Opening of community gallery and performing space (Balboa Park partnership)
Result of a four-year partnership Alexander managed between Balboa Park and San Diego's Diamond Neighborhoods; community gallery and performing space opened in 2012.
First female and first non-medievalist Walters director since 1965
Became the first woman to lead the Walters Art Museum and the first non-medievalist director since 1965.
Public announcement: New director at Walters
Press release and media coverage announced her appointment as Walters Art Museum director (several outlets ran pieces April 2013).
Appointed Executive Director of the Walters Art Museum
Named executive director (the museum's fifth director) of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore; first woman to hold the position.
Seven-year endowment campaign completed (context)
The $30M endowment campaign completed in 2015 was a seven-year campaign that had begun before the 2008 financial crisis—an important institutional milestone under her leadership.
Completed $30 million endowment campaign (Walters)
Oversaw completion of a seven-year $30 million endowment campaign for the Walters Art Museum (campaign began prior to the 2008 financial crisis).
Wellesley alumni speaking engagement
Visited Wellesley College and spoke to students about her path from Wellesley to serve as the first female executive director of the Walters Art Museum.
Featured in 'At home with Walters Art Museum's director' article
Profiled in a feature about her Baltimore home (Homeland neighborhood) and personal collection, illustrating public engagement and museum leadership persona.
Child speaks at United Nations about NCD Child
One of her children (then in eighth grade) spoke at the United Nations advocating for youth with or at risk of non-communicable diseases; noted in media as part of family profile.
Oversaw restoration and 'rethink' of Hackerman House (Walters Asian collection)
Directed restoration and rethinking of the Walters Art Museum's Hackerman House, home to its Asian art collection (date not precisely specified; reported as an initiative under her tenure).
Active involvement with Greater Baltimore cultural organizations
Actively involved with organizations including the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance, Maryland Citizens for the Arts, and the William M. B. Berger Prize for British Art History (dates are during her Walters tenure).
Staff unionization organizing at Walters (majority signed cards)
A majority of museum staff signed union cards and signaled intent to form an all-inclusive trade union; Alexander declined to recognize the union or meet with organizers.
Baltimore City Council requested neutral third-party union election
In October 2021 the Baltimore City Council and comptroller issued formal requests that the Walters allow a neutral third-party union election inclusive of all staff.
Walters letter to Office of the Comptroller (Nov 2, 2021)
Alexander (advised by museum counsel) sent formal correspondence to the Comptroller's Office asserting the museum's position on the union process (document archived).
Mayor Brandon Scott backs union vote for Walters workers
In 2022 Baltimore's mayor sent a letter publicly urging that Walters employees be allowed to hold an independent union election; part of an ongoing labor dispute under Alexander's leadership.
Served as President of Association of Art Museum Directors' board (recent)
Reported to have 'recently served' as president of the AAMD board of trustees (exact term dates not specified in sources).
Announced departure from Walters to join Samuel H. Kress Foundation
Left her position as executive director of the Walters Art Museum in the fall of 2024 to take a role at the Samuel H. Kress Foundation in New York.
Appointed President of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation
In fall 2024 she was appointed president of the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, dedicated to study and preservation of European art and heritage in the U.S.
Died of a heart attack in Towson, Maryland
Julia Alexander died suddenly of a heart attack in Towson, Maryland on May 4, 2025.
Yale publishes extended memoriam
Yale University (YCBA) published an in memoriam article remembering her contributions on June 23, 2025.
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