Michele Allen Fulkerson was hired in early March and completed the transition into her new role as Executive Director of the Rogue Gallery and Art Center three weeks ago.
Michele brings a great mix of professional art training and a lifelong passion for creativity to the Gallery’s leadership team. Now a proud Southern Oregon local, Michele’s journey started in Michigan and has been shaped by her global travels and a decade spent building a business from the ground up in Southern California. Between her entrepreneurial roots and her years of experience working with nonprofit arts organizations, she’s all about a leadership style that’s both strategic and collaborative.
An accomplished artist in her own right, she maintains a vibrant interdisciplinary practice focused on painting and photography, and holds an MFA with Honors in Painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She also earned her BFA in Studio Art (with a minor in Art History) from Southern Oregon University, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Most recently, Michele served as Vice-Chair of the of the Museum Council at the Schneider Museum at SOU. There, Michele led initiatives that connected diverse audiences and supported the Schneider Museum’s mission. “This is my dream job. I get to be immersed in art and bring it to the community. One of the things I am especially excited about is Rogue Gallery’s Elementary Arts Outreach. We will reach about 1,000 fifth graders in the county this year. I have a great staff here, and I couldn’t get along without them,” said Michele.