Newfields names new president and CEO

Indianapolis, Indiana – At Newfields, there is a new leader after six months of searching. Le Monte Booker Sr. was selected by the Board of Trustees on Monday to take over as President and CEO of the art and nature museum.

Booker was most recently the CFO of the Field Museum in Chicago, where he was in charge of the financial department as well as the management and planning of the museum’s facilities as well as protective services. Additionally, he briefly served as the illustrious museum’s CEO and president.

After completing his studies at DePaul University, he went on to earn his MBA at Keller Graduate School of Business.

Booker said he is “thrilled” to begin his next chapter in Indianapolis in a statement issued by Newfields.

“I am excited to collaborate with the Board, employees, and the Central Indiana community to maintain our mission of enhancing lives via exceptional encounters with art and nature at this unique institution.”

Booker was chosen after Koya Partners conducted a nationwide search and a committee formed by the Board of Trustees reviewed more than 200 applications. Staff, docents, volunteers, and members’ opinions, according to Newfields, were included during the hiring and evaluation processes.

In our nationwide search, Mr. Booker came out on top. The search committee chair, Anne Sellers, stated in a release that “his visionary approach, operational skills, and trusted presence as an ambassador, make him an exceptional fit for Newfields and the Indianapolis community.”
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Booker will replace Michael Kubacki, the acting leader, in his new position starting in late October.

Following the resignation of Colette Pierce Burnette, the former president and CEO of Newfields, who assumed the role in August 2022 and left in November 2023, Kubacki was appointed.

Charles Venable resigned from the museum in 2021, and Pierce Burnette was chosen to take over as director. After a contentious job posting that included “maintaining the Museum’s traditional, core, white art audience” as one of the responsibilities, Venable resigned.