What I do:
Over a thirty-year career, I’ve dedicated myself to building better futures for the arts.
I make technology work for the arts. I’ve helped build the digital foundations that museums still rely on today, leading tech teams at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Denver Art Museum , and as a consultant to non-profit organizations across the field.
I take big swings. I designed Knight Foundation’s tech-forward arts funding strategy and directed $80M in grants to artists and organizations in 8 cities under that strategy. In Detroit alone , I managed $25M in technology investments to arts organizations including the Motown Museum , the Detroit Opera , and BULK Space .
I support artists. I am a practicing artist, and that perspective informed the creation of the Knight Art+Tech Expansion Fund , a five-year, four-city open call that invested $8M in technology infrastructure for artists.
I move the field forward. I co-created the Drinking About Museums meetups and launched Ignite MCN , both of which continue to connect arts professionals and spark new ideas across the field.
I know data. My career started with SQL queries over collections data at the Indianapolis Museum of Art , and since then I’ve leveraged an insider’s understanding of content architecture to move arts organizations forward.
I serve the field. I continue to give back to the arts through volunteer board service with organizations like the American Composers Forum , the Western Museums Association , and the Museum Computer Network .
Better futures for the arts don’t happen by chance—they’re built. Let’s start building .
Timeline:
Senior Director, Arts
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation | 2021–2025
I managed an $80M portfolio of arts grants, designing and executing Knight’s tech-forward funding strategy. I launched the Knight Art + Tech Expansion Fund, delivering $8M in digital infrastructure to artists in Charlotte, Detroit, Akron, and Miami. I also created the Knight Digital Maturity Model, a framework to assess grantee readiness, and helped shape critical elements of Knight’s 2025 strategy redesign.
Principal
Koven J. Smith Consulting | 2013–2021
I advised museums, arts organizations, and funders including the Watermill Center, Fotogalleriet (Oslo), Chicago Architecture Center, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Smithsonian Anacostia, Harry Ransom Center, and Amon Carter Museum of American Art. I conducted research, assessments, and strategic planning for foundations such as Knight and the Doris Duke Charitable Trust, as well as regional organizations like CultureSource (Detroit) and the Texas Association of Museums.
Head of Digital
Blanton Museum of Art, University of Texas | 2014–2018
Denver Art Museum | 2010–2013
Metropolitan Museum of Art | 2005–2010
Indianapolis Museum of Art | 2001–2005
Across these institutions, I led digital teams of 5–10 staff and contractors, developed institution-wide digital strategies, and oversaw website redesigns, in-gallery interpretive technology, and mobile applications. I implemented collections and digital asset systems emphasizing Open Access, creating sustainable digital infrastructure that continues to support museums today.
Teaching:
Adjunct Faculty, Museum Studies
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD | 2013-2021
Adjunct Faculty, Arts Administration
New York University (Steinhardt School of Education), New York, NY—2007-2010
Affiliations:
- American Composers Forum, Board Member, Governance Committee Chair
- Western Museums Association, Board Member
- National Women’s History Museum, Education Committee
- American Alliance of Museums, National Program Committee
- Institute of Museum and Library Services, NLG and MFA panel & field reviewer
- Museum Computer Network, Board Member and Program Chair