Missouri Historical Society Hires Dara Taylor to Lead DEI Efforts

 Dara Taylor joins the Missouri Historical Society (MHS) team in a newly created senior leadership position, Managing Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA). In her new role, Taylor will work with MHS President Dr. Frances Levine, and executive leadership to build upon MHS’s existing diversity efforts by developing and implementing a clear vision for DEIA at MHS. As Managing Director of DEIA, Taylor will work collaboratively with MHS staff to design and implement new, actionable, and measurable initiatives that create meaningful change through a culture of diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

“The Missouri Historical Society has long been committed to not just re-examining history to tell a more complete version of the past; following the protests across our nation this summer, MHS made the commitment to re-examine our internal culture to ensure that we are living up to our own values,” said Dr. Frances Levine, President of the Missouri Historical Society. “Part of that commitment involved looking at our organizational structure and recognizing the need for a new leadership position to spearhead both MHS’s internal and external DEIA efforts. The addition of Dara Taylor to the MHS team in a Managing Director role reaffirms that commitment. Dara Taylor’s years of experience implementing and evaluating organizational equity and inclusion plans will be a great asset for MHS as we continue to strive toward being a more equitable, inclusive, and welcoming institution for all.”

Initially, the Managing Director of DEIA role will focus the majority of time on internal culture change, building community and professional bridges to diversify the museum field and work with MHS staff to assist in securing funding for institution-wide DEIA training and museum-related initiatives. Additionally, the Managing Director of DEIA oversees the Human Resources Department.

Another key goal for the new Managing Director of DEIA will be to strengthen existing and establish new relationships with external organizations to help further situate MHS as a community resource and anchor. Over time, the Managing Director will become an essential institutional ambassador to the community.

“MHS is a staple in the St. Louis Community,” said Dara Taylor, Managing Director of DEIA for the Missouri Historical Society. “MHS’s values of community engagement, education, inclusivity and collaboration, stewardship and excellence all align with my own core-values which led me to believe MHS would be an ideal place for me to continue my work in the DEIA field. I look forward to working with the MHS team to develop and implement programs and services that further increase diversity, embrace equity and accessibility, and create a sense of inclusivity for staff and the community at large.”

Read more about Dara Taylor here.