Sierra Van Ryck deGroot is the deputy director of Museum Hue, the leading organisation dedicated to advancing Black, indigenous, and other people of colour in the cultural field. She is an arts administrator, museum educator, and museum lover from New Jersey. Van Ryck deGroot advocates for change in the galleries, libraries, archives and museums sector around salary transparency, actionable equity in hiring practices, the abolition of unpaid internships, and the practice of rest for museum workers.
Van Ryck deGroot joined Museum Hue in June 2022. “I am humbled and honored to be joining the Museum Hue team,” she said. “I have been a fan of the extensive and important work that Museum Hue has done for Black, indigenous, and people of color museum professionals and the sector as a whole. I am looking forward to contributing to the next chapter of this already accomplished organisation.”
“Sierra’s expansive experience and excellent reputation in the field as a community builder and arts advocate will make her a great addition to the team,” said Stephanie Cunningham, executive director of Museum Hue. I look forward to working with her to set the vision and strategic future for Museum Hue.”
Van Ryck deGroot is a co-editor of Viewfinder, the NAEA Museum Education Division’s journal, and a board member of the New Jersey Association of Museums (NJAM). She also served on the National Emerging Museum Professionals Network (NEMPN) board as a co-president. During her tenure, she helped to rebrand the organisation, strengthen its presence in the field, and advance diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion (DEAI) efforts.
She previously worked as the assistant director of education and as the education programs manager at Poster House in New York, the first museum in the US dedicated exclusively to posters. Prior to that, she was an education assistant at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield, Connecticut.