Welcoming MABA’s New Director

When long-time MABA Director Amy Montague announced her retirement back in September 2023, we knew we had big shoes to fill. After an extensive search, we’re thrilled to introduce Dr. Jennifer Tafe as the new Director of Mass Audubon’s Museum of American Bird Art. 

Jennifer brings deep experience in art history and preservation to the role, motivated by her view of the innate connection between artistic expression and the natural world and her commitment to museums and nature-based art as agents of change.  

In her new role, she will enliven the collection, expand partnerships across the Mass Audubon network and with other institutions to promote art and nature, and foster open-minded dialogue through thought-provoking exhibitions and programs that advance Mass Audubon’s conservation goals.  

Jennifer most recently served as a Visiting Scholar at Brandeis University, where she joined after completing her PhD in Art History at Boston University. Her museum experience includes years with the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. As a member of their Art and Science Committee, she developed exhibits and programs that brought art and nature together, often with the purpose of raising awareness over environmental concerns. 

Her experience also includes artifact management work on several archaeological expeditions in Israel, along with education and board development experience at museums in Washington, D.C., including The Phillips Collection and the National Museum of Asian Art. 

Under Jennifer’s leadership, MABA will inspire engaged, diverse, and inclusive audiences and serve as a catalyst for connecting art to the critical conservation issues of our time: climate change, biodiversity, and equitable and inclusive access to nature. Please join us in welcoming Jennifer to Mass Audubon and the MABA community.