Administration

Leadership at the Smithsonian

Dr. David Skorton
Dr. David Skorton, 13th Smithsonian Secretary

Dr. David J. Skorton is the 13th Secretary of the Smithsonian. He assumed his position July 1, 2015. As Secretary, Skorton oversees 19 museums and galleries, 20 libraries, the National Zoo and numerous research centers, including the Smithsonian Astrophysics Observatory, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. He is responsible for an annual budget of $1.3 billion, 6,500 employees, and 6,300 volunteers. The Smithsonian's federal appropriation for fiscal year 2015 is $819.5 million, which accounts for 62 percent of the Institution's funding. The Smithsonian generates additional funding from private contributions and business revenues.

Skorton, a board-certified cardiologist, previously was the president of Cornell University, a position he held from July 2006. He was also a professor in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City and in Cornell's Department of Biomedical Engineering at the College of Engineering. His research focus is congenital heart disease and cardiac imaging and image processing. Skorton is the first physician to lead the Smithsonian.

Board of Regents

The legislation that created the Smithsonian Institution (approved by Congress Aug. 10, 1846) called for the creation of a Board of Regents to govern and administer the organization.

More about the Board of Regents...

Senior Executives

Museum and Research Center Directors

Senior Administration and Program Directors

  • Fredie Adelman, Director, The Smithsonian Associates
  • Susan Ades, Director, Smithsonian Exhibits
  • Michael Atwood Mason, Director, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage
  • Nancy Bechtol, Director, Smithsonian Facilities
  • Deron Burba, Chief Information Officer
  • Michael Caruso, Editor-in-Chief, Smithsonian magazine
  • Amy Chen, Chief Investment Officer, Office of Investments
  • Harold A. Closter, Director, Smithsonian Affiliations
  • Thomas Dempsey, Director, Office of Contracting & Personal Property Management
  • Eduardo Díaz, Smithsonian Latino Center
  • James Douglas, Director, Office of Human Resources
  • Molly Fannon, Director, Office of International Relations
  • Tracey Fraser, Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
  • Jean Garvin, Director of Finance and Accounting
  • Chandra P. Heilman, Ombudsman
  • Karen Keller, Director, Office of Special Events and Protocol
  • Dorothy A. Leffler, Director, Office of Contracting & Personal Property Management
  • Christopher Liedel, President, Smithsonian Enterprises
  • Scott Miller, Deputy Under Secretary for Collections and Interdisciplinary Support
  • Stephanie L. Norby, Director, Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access
  • Carol O'Donnell, Director, Smithsonian Science Education Center
  • Jeanne O'Toole, Director, Office of Protection Services
  • Maura Reidy, Acting Director, Government Relations
  • Lisa Sasaki, Director, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center
  • William G. Tompkins, Director, National Collections Program
  • David Voyles, Director, Office of Planning, Management and Budget
  • Whitney Watriss, Director, Office of Policy and Analysis
  • Sherri Wheeler, Director, Office of Visitor Services
  • Eric Woodard, Director, Office of Fellowships and Internships
  • Elizabeth Ziebarth, Coordinator, Accessibility Program