Heidi Zuckerman, CEO and director of the Orange County Museum of Art, will step down at the end of her contract in December 2025, the institution said Thursday. Zuckerman, who joined OCMA in early 2021, will assist in the search for her successor and plans to focus on her media company, HZ Inc.
Zuckerman’s tenure marked a period of growth for the museum. In 2022, the institution opened a new $93 million, 53,000-square-foot campus in Costa Mesa. Since then, the museum has reported that it’s annual visitor traffic has reached 500,000 visitors, up twelvefold from the levels at its former Newport Beach location.
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Zuckerman raised more than $85 million in fundings towards exhibitions and operations, helping to negotiate a gift from Lugano Diamonds that enabled a decade of free general admission. More than 100 works have been acquired for the permanent collection under Zuckerman’s direction, including pieces by Andrea Bowers, Joan Brown, and Derek Fordjour. Notable exhibitions under her watch included Yves Saint Laurent: Line and Expression and Fred Eversley: Reflecting Back (the World).
Zuckerman has been in the museum sphere for many years in two of countries wealthiest enclaves. Prior to joining OCMA, she spent 14 years as CEO and director of the Aspen Art Museum. She has also held curatorial positions at the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive and at the Jewish Museum in New York.
In a statement, Zuckerman said she is leaving the museum role to focus on expanding HZ Inc., which includes her art-focused podcast. The media platform has received backing from Newport Beach investment management company Pardon, a four-year-old firm that funds brands across publishing and lifestyle and wellness spaces.