Talents on display: Brianne Roth ’13 facilitates self-assessments of museum operations across the nation

Brianne Roth

Ever since her first museum internship with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation in Williamsburg, Virginia, Brianne Roth ’13 knew she wanted to pursue a career in museums. Her dream has since become a reality, and she is now one of two museum assessment program officers for the American Alliance of Museums in Washington, D.C. 

“I believe that museums play such an important role in fostering lifelong learning and that they do impactful work in the communities they serve,” Roth said. “The American Alliance of Museums is the national membership organization for museums in the United States, and it’s such a joy getting to work with museums across the country.”

In her role as a museum assessment program officer, Roth works with museums and peer reviewers participating in the Museum Assessment Program. Funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services, the program helps museums of all types and sizes strengthen their operations, plan for the future, and meet professional standards in the museum field. 

Prior to her current role, Roth earned her M.A. in public/applied history from American University and worked for over two years at the Nantucket Historical Association in Massachusetts. For the majority of her tenure, she served as public programs coordinator and oversaw the creation and implementation of all free and ticketed offerings at the association’s museum and historic sites. She also worked for Ford’s Theatre Society at its national historic site, where she took part in the 150th commemoration of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. 

Besides the knowledge she gained as a history major, Roth continues to rely on many other life and career skills she learned at Randolph. 

“The history department, and Randolph overall, placed an emphasis on critical thinking, research, and concise writing,” she said. “These are all crucial skills to have in the workplace. When working in museums, I’ve had to draft program descriptions for press releases, create and update tours, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders, all of which require concise writing.”

Roth said her experience as a member of the women’s soccer team and the leadership skills she practiced as a team captain her senior year have also come in handy. 

“The small class sizes and accessible professors really help you grow and learn,” Roth said. “Ultimately, I would not be where I am in my career had it not been for the history department. The knowledge I gained in the classes and the expectation to show up to class and actively engage in discussions mirrored the type of expectations I faced in graduate school.”