Alexandra Piper is a dedicated arts administrator and public historian with a proven track record in strategic leadership and management excellence within arts and humanities institutions.   At the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, Piper shapes the work of the committee, and spearheads impact-driven initiatives.

Piper launched her career at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, where she curated and orchestrated immersive and innovative experiences for millions of museum visitors, including Cooking Up History and History Film Forum, the premier film festival focused on history. 

Beyond her public-facing responsibilities, Piper managed high-level collaborations across the museum, developed messaging and strategy for marketing campaigns, and served as a special assistant to the museum’s director.

In addition to her tenure at the Smithsonian, Piper has worked with a range of museums and public history organizations as a consultant and researcher, including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, the Vermont 250th Anniversary Commission, and the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum’s Clean Water Act exhibition. 

She holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from Hope College and an M.A. in History from the University of Maryland, College Park.