Pamela Kiecker Royall Named Chair of the Board of Trustees

Pamela Kiecker Royall Named Chair of the Board of Trustees

Press Release January 11, 2020
Emily Lucier, Manager of PR & Marketing elucier@VirginiaHistory.org 804.342.9665
 

Richmond, VA – The Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC) is very proud to announce that Pamela Kiecker Royall has been named Chair of its Board of Trustees, the first female to serve in this position in the nearly 200-year history of the museum. Royall has been a member of the Board since 2015 and served as Vice Chair in 2019 and 2020. Royall becomes Chair following Charles Cabell’s successful two-year term. Serving with Royall, and slated to become Chair in two years, will be newly installed Vice Chair, Richard Cullen.

     As leaders in the community, Dr. Royall and her late husband Bill have been long-time supporters of the VMHC and arts organizations throughout Richmond and beyond. Her appointment as Chair comes at a historic and transformative time of change and growth for the VMHC.

     “Since my election to this important statewide board in 2015, I have been witness and party to some of the greatest change and progress in this organization’s long history,” said Dr. Royall. “With fullboard engagement and shared aspiration, we hired a new President & CEO, we established one of the most ambitious strategic plans we’ve ever had, and we made dramatic improvement in our overall programmatic activity and community engagement. That being said, the best is yet to come. The work we have begun to reimagine the museum and reach new audiences will be transformative. This is our moment, and I am so proud to be a part of it.”

     Dr. Royall is Head of Research for EAB Enrollment Services (formerly Royall & Company), the Richmond-based company her husband, Bill Royall, founded in 1983. She directs all research programs conducted through University Research Partners (URP), the survey research division of the organization. Dr. Royall is a native of Minnesota and a graduate of Carleton College (B.A., Religion), where she has served as a Trustee since 2010. She earned an M.B.A. (Minnesota State University, Finance) and Ph.D. in Business Administration (University of Colorado-Boulder, Marketing). In addition to the VMHC Board, Dr. Royall also serves on the Foundation Board of the VCU School of Business, the Directors Council for VCU’s Brandcenter, the Advisory Board of the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA) at VCU, and has been most recently been appointed a Trustee at Virginia Union University; she is also a member and former Chair of VCU’s Massey Cancer Center Community Advisory Board.

     Throughout her tenure on the Board, Dr. Royall has been committed to furthering the mission of the VMHC. She provided extensive guidance for the museum’s rebranding efforts as well as strategic support to establish the museum’s first-ever Marketing & Communications Division. She also helped inspire and fund one of the VMHC’s most popular exhibitions, Fresh Paint: Murals Inspired by The Story of Virginia, which attracted tens-of-thousands of people to the museum and helped forge countless new relationships for the museum – reinforcing Royall’s belief in the benefit that comes from the intersection of art and history.

     “Pam is well connected to the cultural community in Richmond and well beyond, she believes deeply in our mission and the opportunities ahead as we evolve with purpose. She has a great knowledge of non-profits, expertise in audience engagement, and a remarkable understanding of the vital role places like the VMHC play in the well-being of our Commonwealth and community," said President & CEO, Jamie Bosket.

     Royall recognizes not only the significance of being the first female to lead the institution, but also the uniqueness of what is happening at the museum as she takes the helm. “It is an honor to be the first woman to serve as Chair, which I see as one more example of an evolving and dynamic organization. The VMHC is taking the best of its past and growing to better serve Virginians today and for generations to come. The role of the Commonwealth’s history museum is changing. We must continue our work in partnering with our community, bringing all voices into the conversation when planning exhibitions and programs, to reflect the beautiful diversity and dynamic atmosphere only found in Virginia.”

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The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is owned and operated by the Virginia Historical Society — a private, non-profit organization established in 1831. The historical society is the oldest cultural organization in Virginia, and one of the oldest and most distinguished history organizations in the nation. For use in its state history museum and its renowned research library, the historical society cares for a collection of nearly nine million items representing the ever-evolving story of Virginia.

The Virginia Museum of History & Culture is located at 428 N Arthur Ashe Boulevard in Richmond’s Museum District. Hours are Monday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the galleries and museum shop, Monday – Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. for the research library. For more information call 804.340.1800, visit VirginiaHistory.org, or connect on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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