Board Member, Past Chief Executive Officer, Heard Museum
Dr. Letitia Chambers is recognized for her accomplishments as a CEO, her contributions to public policy, and her service to educational and non-profit organizations. Her private sector experience includes serving as CEO for 20 years of a highly successful Washington, DC based consulting firm, which she sold to a large global consulting firm where she became a Managing Director.
She then served as CEO of the Heard Museum, where she led major financial reforms and made significant improvements in facilities. Since retiring from the Heard, Dr. Chambers has maintained a consulting practice and has curated several major exhibitions, including the acclaimed exhibition “Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass”, which is scheduled to travel to ten major museums across the country.
Earlier in her career, in the 1970s, she served on the Senate staff and was the first woman to be named Staff Director of a standing committee of the US Senate. In 1992, she served as the Chief Budget Advisor to the Clinton/Gore transition, and in 1996, Ambassador Chambers served as the U.S. Representative to the United Nations General Assembly. In 2004-2005, she headed the state system of higher education in New Mexico.
She has served on several corporate Boards of Directors, as well as on Boards of numerous educational and non-profit organizations, including as former Chair of the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries and Museums and former Chair of the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.
Dr. Chambers has authored numerous articles and reports and is also the author of Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass, a book published by the Museum of New Mexico Press and now in its third printing.
Dr. Chambers resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband, the Honorable Peter P. Smith, former US Congressman (VT.)