Elysia Poon

With two decades experience in the museum field, Elysia’s career has demonstrated a commitment to collaborative programming and a dedication to community-based collections care. Under her leadership, the IARC continues to be at the forefront of the national conversation around how collecting institutions and Native American communities can work together to foster and promote cultural heritage and further contemporary art practices. Formerly the IARC’s curator of education, Elysia furthered a Native artist fellowship program that is now one of the most nationally recognized. She developed and led IARC education outreach initiatives and facilitates an annual IARC speaker series that explores Native American arts and culture. She received her BA in art history and criticism from the University of California, San Diego and MA in art history from the University of New Mexico. Prior to coming to SAR, Elysia worked for the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, Museum of Indian Arts & Culture in Santa Fe, and Indian Pueblo Cultural Center in Albuquerque.