As a graduate student at FSU, Olivia Hackney (MA ’24) was known for her welcoming, enthusiastic spirit and her drive to bring people together — qualities that serve her well in her work as the new Director of Education at the Pearl Fincher Museum of Fine Arts near Houston, TX.
In the Art History Museum & Cultural Heritage Studies graduate program, Olivia focused her research on food traditions in West Africa and among African Americans, and on making history accessible to everyone. She made the most of opportunities outside the classroom: presenting at the Florida Association of Museums conference, completing a museum education internship at The Grove Museum, and volunteering as a teaching artist for Arts4All Florida and Motivating People through Arts and Culture. Olivia also embraced and fostered department life, greeting donors and alumni as a student representative and organizing social events and fundraisers as president of the Art History Association.
After graduate school, Olivia honed her practice in community events management as Education and Special Projects Coordinator at WFSU Public Media. In early 2026, funding cuts looming at the public station coincided with Olivia’s growing desire for bigger opportunities and easier airport access to visit family in Atlanta. She was aided in her search, she says, by the skills and network she gained at FSU: “I’m especially thankful to my mentors and professors, Susan Baldino, Mora Beauchamp-Byrd, and Grace Ali. What I learned from all of them helped me refine my search and preparations, and Dr. Baldino had introduced me to a fantastic support network of museum professionals.” After a whirlwind round of remote and on-site interviews, and just five days after her final day at WFSU, Olivia accepted the position of Director of Education at the Pearl Fincher Museum.
“One of the things that immediately drew me to the Pearl was its commitment to making art accessible to the community. From free admission and Family Day events to educational programs that introduce even our youngest learners to art and art history, I get to spend my days thinking about how museums can create meaningful experiences for people of all ages. Sometimes I really do stop and think, ‘Wait, this is my job?'”
Olivia’s first big project was to plan and oversee the museum’s summer camp: hiring staff, making lesson plans, finding space to spread out camper groups, and arranging guest artist visits. She enjoyed the challenge of encouraging hesitant young campers – leading them to focus not on the perfection of a final product, but the joy of the creative process.
Leading the summer camp also allowed Olivia to develop her own management style based on the same principle of trusting the process and being open to experimentation:
“I start with lesson plans, but I give them to teachers as a framework and tools. I encourage them to interpret and adjust the plans to what works for them in making art accessible to children. Trusting their judgment as teachers, I’m just paying forward the trust and freedom the executive director has given to me. She hears my ideas and values my opinion, and I want to help others experiment and develop their work in the same way.”
This fall, Olivia has many projects in the works, from painting walls for a new exhibition to creating education guides, arranging student tour groups and training docents. She is excited to be part of a museum with just five full-time staff members, because she can dive into every aspect of museum work as well as all the depths of directing education programs. The cherry on top, Olivia writes, is the supportive professional community:
“Moving to another state while stepping into a leadership position was a major transition, and everyone at The Pearl made that transition feel incredibly seamless. They give me guidance and grace as I grow into my role. They welcomed me with open arms, helped me get acquainted with Houston, and made the Pearl feel like home. I couldn’t ask for better colleagues.”
