SAN FRANCISCO (November 21, 2016)—The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are thrilled to announce the appointment of Amanda Riley as Director of Development. Riley will oversee the fundraising program for the de Young and Legion of Honor, including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, corporate sponsorships, grants and foundation giving, membership and special events. Previous to this appointment, Riley served for three years as the Director of Individual and Major Giving at the Asian Art Museum. Her experience spans nearly two decades in museum fundraising in San Francisco, New York and Boston.

“We could not have found a better candidate than Amanda to lead our Development team and engagement efforts as we embark on this next chapter of the Museums’ fine history,” says Max Hollein, Director and CEO of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. “She brings deep experience, not only with non-profit fundraising, but also with the local landscape, having built personal relationships with many donors throughout the Bay Area. Amanda will be a significant addition to the leadership team of the Fine Arts Museums. I also want to thank Lisa Podos from whom Amanda is taking over for her leadership, commitment and excellence in the past three years.”

While at the Asian Art Museum, Riley oversaw the individual giving department, including planned giving, membership, individual giving, major gifts and donor relations. Over her tenure, individual gifts increased by 97 percent. Riley also served as a member of the leadership team and was instrumental in growing the museum’s operating budget by 50 percent. She is also an active member of the arts community, currently serving on Fine Art Museums of San Francisco’s ArtPoint’s board and previously volunteering at the Hirshhorn Museum, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and ICA Boston.

Before joining the Asian Art Museum, Riley served as the Manager for Annual Giving at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco from 2010-2013. Prior to that, she was the Director of Individual Giving at the International Center of Photography from 2009-2010, and the Director of Corporate Giving at the Museum of the City of New York from 2007-2008. Riley holds an MBA from Boston University and a B.A. in Art History from the University of Virginia.

“I am thrilled to rejoin the family at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, an organization I know and love” says Riley. “I am eager to step into this new position and excited to work with Max, the board, and the staff and volunteers to help execute their bold new vision for the de Young and Legion of Honor.”

Riley will begin her tenure at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco on December 12, 2016.

About the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, are the largest public arts institution in San Francisco.

The Legion of Honor was inspired by the French pavilion at San Francisco’s Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 and, like that structure, was modeled after the neoclassical Palais de la Légion d’Honneur, in Paris. The museum, designed by George Applegarth, opened in 1924 on a bluff in Lincoln Park overlooking the Golden Gate. Its holdings span 4,000 years and include European painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; ancient art from the Mediterranean basin; and the largest collection of works on paper in the American West.

The de Young originated from the 1894 California Midwinter International Exposition in Golden Gate Park and was established as the Memorial Museum in 1895. It was later renamed in honor of Michael H. de Young, who spearheaded its creation. The present copper-clad landmark building, designed by Herzog and de Meuron, opened in October 2005. It holds the institution’s significant collections of American painting, sculpture, and decorative arts from the 17th to the 21st centuries; art from Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; costume and textile arts; and international modern and contemporary art.

Media Contact
Miriam Newcomer \ mnewcomer@famsf.org \ 415.750.3554