The Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage has announced Joe Kapp as its new advisory council chair. The council provides expertise and assistance on a wide range of Center programs and operations. Members help with public engagement, donor relations, and more.
Kapp was nominated on June 26, 2024, and confirmed by the Smithsonian Board of Regents on August 13. A member of the council since 2021, Kapp has utilized his background in entrepreneurship and the technology industry to support the Center. He succeeds the previous chair, Ginnie Cooper, who will continue to serve on the council.
“Through this new role, I hope to support council members as we build upon the Center’s efforts to strengthen cultural heritage around the world,” Kapp says. “I’m excited and honored to help lead the advisory council during a time of dynamic change.”
Kapp is the president and cofounder of the National Center for Resource Development, a national nonprofit that helps foundations, nonprofits, higher education, and other institutions achieve greater impact by developing resources to execute their missions more effectively. He is a highly sought-after speaker who has presented to communities around the world, including at the United Nations General Assembly Science Summit. He has also taught entrepreneurship principles to organizations and institutions globally, with experience in Europe, Armenia, Colombia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and beyond.
“Joe will be a great leader for the Center as we grow our resources and expand our engagement with cultural heritage communities and the public,” Center director Cliff Murphy says. “His expertise has already been valuable to the direction of the council in recent years. I know he will do an exceptional job.”
The Smithsonian Board of Regents also approved three new council members: Rohit Agarwal, Violet Grgich, and Karen Ann Hoffman. Find more information about the council’s members.
About the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
The Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage is a research and educational unit of the Smithsonian that promotes greater understanding and sustainability of cultural heritage across the United States and around the world through research, education, and community engagement. It produces the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, exhibitions, symposia, publications, and educational materials. It also maintains the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections and manages cultural heritage initiatives around the world.
