The International Quilt Study Center and Museum at UNL has named Leslie Levy the new executive director of Quilt House and the International Quilt Study Center.
“We are excited that Leslie Levy will be leading Quilt House and its talented staff as we move into the next phase of development,” said Michael James, chairman of UNL’s Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design. “Leslie’s leadership experience in the non-profit sector and her dynamic vision are just what we need as we move intentionally toward becoming the world’s finest resource for the study and appreciation of quilts and the people who make them.”
Levy will begin her appointment on July 1. As executive director, she will lead IQSCM through a multi-million dollar expansion of the facility at 33rd and Holdrege streets. Private donors are funding a 13,200-square foot addition to Quilt House, which will double the museum’s exhibition and storage space.
“Leslie Levy brings outstanding skills and experience to this key leadership role,” said Marjorie Kostelnik, dean of the College of Education and Human Sciences. “She is the right choice to lead Quilt House at such an important time in its history. We are confident that Leslie’s talents will have a meaningful impact and are eager to pursue new levels of education, research and service.”
Levy is the executive director of the Willa Cather Foundation, an international non-profit organization that promotes Cather’s legacy through educational programming, preservation and the arts. Under Levy’s leadership, the foundation raised nearly $5 million toward completion of the National Willa Cather Center.
Levy was previously chief of the Consumer Protection/Antitrust Division for the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office. During her tenure, the division raised its annual revenue from $400,000 to more than $1.2 million and increased customer complaint resolutions from 3,000 to 5,600. She also oversaw the governance of non-profit organizations and worked with a coalition to raise awareness of governance issues among Nebraska’s non-profits.
A UNL alumna, Levy holds a Bachelor of Arts in international affairs and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Nebraska College of Law.
IQSCM began its search for a permanent executive director in August 2013, when founding director Patricia Crews stepped down to become a full-time faculty member. Alice Kinsler will complete her term as interim executive director in July.
