As you may have already read in the San Francisco Chronicle, after 15 years of my service to the Asian Art Museum—Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture, the museum board and I are beginning a methodical process of succession planning which will culminate in 2025. I am honored to have led the museum through a period of unprecedented growth and transformation. As I prepare for the next chapter in my life, I want to take a moment to reflect on the museum's accomplishments and the exciting exhibitions that lie ahead.

Today we are stronger than ever, with a transformed museum campus, a flourishing endowment, and an expanding community of art enthusiasts excited about our innovative, inspiring museum experience. We have become a unique platform, showcasing exceptional Asian art of the past alongside compelling voices from contemporary artists of Asian descent the world over, with a special emphasis on the work of Asian American creators.

It has been my honor to help tell this broader, richer, and more inclusive story — not only of Asia, but also of the diverse America we live in — to ensure the Asian Art Museum truly is for all. I am proud of the strides we have made in reimagining what a museum of Asian art in America can offer: where stories like those of underrecognized San Francisco natives Carlos Villa and Bernice Bing can take their place alongside critically acclaimed artists from across the globe like Takashi Murakami, who is coming this fall! We have thrilled audiences with the incredible diversity of Asian cultures and art forms in so many unforgettable exhibitions: from Bali to Yoga; from Philippine Art to Couture Korea; from blockbusters like China’s Terracotta Warriors and teamLab: Continuity to our current hit, Beyond Bollywood: 2000 Years of Dance in Art — it has truly been an experience like nothing else.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I am confident that the museum will continue to thrive under a new generation of leadership and I am excited to work closely with the museum’s dual governing boards, the Asian Art Commission and the Asian Art Museum Foundation, as we plan for what comes next, including an international search for the next director. I know that the museum's future is bright and that it will continue to be the hub for creativity, connection, inspiration, and delight that we have all come to value.

Thank you again for your support of the Asian Art Museum, and I look forward to seeing you at the museum soon.