Hello Volunteers! – sharing such exciting news for Melissa Smith! But she’s not going far … please see this announcement from her Manager, Paola Poletto, below – Holly

It is with joy I share that Melissa Smith has accepted the position of Assistant Vice President of In-Gallery Engagement at the ROM. Over her twelve years at the AGO, Melissa has created a more inclusive and accessible cultural environment, forging new ground in the museums education and public programs field. Melissa is critically renowned for her work at the AGO, and has shared her expert knowledge across the globe, Canada and locally: The Louvre, M+, the National Docent Symposium, Museums and the Web, The Winnipeg Art Gallery, Vancouver Art Gallery, Nova Scotia Art Gallery, OCAD, University of Toronto, to name a few. She counts the following as programs she is most proud of:

• Access and Inclusion Programming: Melissa successfully collaborated with community partners like Dancing with Parkinson’s, Workman Arts, Tangled Arts + Disability, and Xenia Concerts to create inclusive art experiences for diverse audiences.
• Multisensory Engagement: Melissa led the launch of the Multisensory Art Cart and Relaxed Visits, which introduced sensory kits, maps, and sense-based activities, enhancing the accessibility of art for visitors with sensory sensitivities.
• Blindsquare Initiative: Melissa worked with colleagues across the AGO to introduce and pilot Blindsquare, an innovative app providing wayfinding and descriptive support for people who are Blind or Partially Blind, making the gallery more navigable and inclusive.

There are several programs Melissa and I had the pleasure to co-develop, including Seniors Social, Portraits of Resilience, the launch of our annual AGO PLAY book, the Gallery Guide Program, and most recently, the Gallery School’s Adult Courses Programs.  I am thankful to Melissa for sharing her passion for making art and people dance both figuratively and literally.

Paola Poletto

Director, Engagement and Learning