To contact a Weatherspoon staff member, please call (336) 334-5770, or use e-mail links provided below.

To leave a general message for the museum, please CLICK HERE.

The Weatherspoon Team

Juliette Bianco

Anne and Ben Cone Memorial Endowed Director
Associate Vice Chancellor for Museums and Creative Practice

Juliette joined the Weatherspoon Art Museum staff in September 2020. As museum director, Juliette sets the strategic, collaborative, and academic leadership and vision for the museum as a core learning resource for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the community. Prior to arriving at UNCG, she served for 25 years at the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College. Juliette’s scholarly interests focus on transformational leadership in higher education, and on university museums as hubs of innovative teaching and learning; creative partnerships; and the benefits of a diverse and inclusive museum community. She has curated and co-curated numerous exhibitions and has published on art and museum practice. She is a graduate of Dartmouth and holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and an EdD from Northeastern University. Juliette received a 2019 New England Museum Association (NEMA) Excellence Award and is a member of the Board of the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG).

Janna Byrd

Exhibitions and Events Coordinator

As the person responsible for carrying out the Weatherspoon’s events and exhibitions, Janna enjoys engaging people with experiences that spark curiosity and cultivate belonging. She has a background in mental health counseling as well as event planning and administrative support. Janna holds master’s degree in counseling from Wake Forest University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism and global studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her free time, Janna enjoys gathering with friends and family, going on outdoor adventures with her dog, and relaxing with a good book.

Raechel Cook

Associate Curator of Academic Programming

Raechel Cook (she/her) is a dot connector, experience constructor, and Associate Curator of Academic Programming at the Weatherspoon Art Museum. She believes the arts are part of a complete breakfast and integral to a holistic education. She works with faculty, staff, and students from all academic disciplines to facilitate meaningful art encounters.

Raechel received an MFA in Textiles from the University of Kansas (KU) and a BA in Visual Art from the University of Northern Colorado. Her thesis work, The Inner Life of Nouns, had nothing to do with textiles and instead explored collecting, our relationship with everyday objects, and how those things acquire meaning. Raechel discovered that “academic programming” at university museums was an actual job during graduate school while working as the Andrew W. Mellon Academic Programs Intern at the Spencer Museum of Art at KU.

Most recently, Raechel served as the Curator of Academic Engagement at the University of Wyoming (UW) Art Museum in Laramie, WY. Before arriving at UW, she managed several undergraduate certificate programs at KU and specialized in completing tasks that did not fit neatly into someone else’s job description. In her spare time, you can find Raechel napping, making whimsical gifts for people, hiking, or at the farmer’s market asking a total stranger if she can pet their dog.

Alice N. Culclasure

Registrar

Alice Culclasure coordinates all registration activities for exhibitions and the permanent collection at the Weatherspoon. Alice joined the museum’s staff in May 2015, and she previously worked at the Newark Museum of Art as an assistant preparator and later as the education collections assistant. Alice earned an MA in Museum Professions with a focus in Registration from Seton Hall University, a Certificate in Historic Preservation from Salem College, and a BA in Art History with a Studio Art minor from Wake Forest University. After spending a few years in New Jersey, Alice was happy to return to her hometown of Greensboro where she loves spending time with her family, tending to her ever-growing collection of plants, and reading whenever possible.

Ralph Farmer

Custodian

My job is to keep the building clean and refreshed.

Elaine D. Gustafson

Curator and Head of Collections and Facilities

Elaine oversees the development, preservation, publication, interpretation, and presentation of artworks owned by the museum. She has worked at the Weatherspoon for over eleven years and holds a B.A. (summa cum laude) in the History of Art from Wheaton College, an M.A. in the History of Art from Brown University, and has completed coursework toward her doctorate, also at Brown University. Elaine was the director of exhibitions and collections and curator of contemporary art at the Tampa Museum of Art for ten years prior to joining the Weatherspoon’s staff. Other past experiences include positions at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Toledo Museum of Art, the Worcester Art Museum, and the Museum of Art at Rhode Island School of Design. An author of numerous publications, a member of the Association of Academic Museums & Galleries and the Association of Art Museum Curators, and a past board member of the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass, Elaine has presented at and juried numerous art competitions and conferences. She taught as an adjunct professor at Auburn University, Troy State University, and presently at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her areas of interest include photography and modern American art. Elaine believes museums should be welcoming places that reflect multiple audiences, celebrate all cultures, and offer various means of entry: programmatically, interpretatively, and experientially. The projects she finds most fulfilling foster personal growth while inspiring visitors to engage with works of art and to think critically about the world in which we live.

Angela Matkins

Visitor Services and Security Associate

Angela provides a safe environment for employees and visitors as well as safeguard the fine art and equipment by walking through the galleries. She has been in the security field for over fifteen years and enjoys helping visitors and her co-workers any way she can. In her spare time she enjoys watching a good movie at home. Nothing like some popcorn and a good movie to relax! A healthy work environment is her motivation to do a good job.

Meiyolet “Mei” Méndez

Assistant Director for Strategic Engagement

Méndez holds a BA in history with a minor in English from Florida International University in Miami and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of Alabama, where she had an Institute of Museum and Library Studies (IMLS) Fellowship. Until 2017, she served as the Interim Esperanza Bravo de Varona Chair of the Cuban Heritage Collection and Librarian Associate Professor at the University of Miami, Coral Gables. More recently, she served as program officer for the Boston Library Consortium and then project manager for the Eastern Academic Scholars’ Trust. Méndez curated many exhibitions from the Cuban Heritage Collection’s special collections and has published articles and spoken at conferences on library studies, collections and exhibit planning, collaborative instruction, and mentorship.

Loring Mortensen

Head of Communications

Loring handles the museum’s marketing and communications, including publicity, website, advertising, photography, graphic design, publications, and strategic messaging. Loring has been working at the Weatherspoon for fifteen years. Prior to that, he had his own PR and marketing firm, worked in magazine publishing, commercial photography, and communications in the aerospace field. Loring graduated from Elmira College with a B.A. in English (concentrating in Medieval Literature), with a minor in Business Management. He also attended Guilford College where he studied English, business, and photography. Loring enjoys cooking, photography, illustration, product design, and tinkering with a future book series.

Albert Sandoval

Finance Manager

Albert joined the Weatherspoon team in May 2024 as a seasoned manager with over ten years of experience in organizational leadership, project management, financial and grants management, communication, and customer service. He supports financial and human resources operations, including administering the museum’s endowments, gifts, grants, capital projects, and HR support. Albert holds a bachelor’s degree in applied sociology and a master’s degree in organizational leadership, both from Northern Arizona University. His expertise includes budgeting, auditing, grants administration, financial projections, personnel management, and facilities coordination. Before joining the Weatherspoon, Albert served as a business officer at UNCG, an operations administrator for Kinder Morgan, and director of finance and administration at Northern Arizona University.

Hannah Southern

Assistant Curator of Collections Research and Engagement

Hannah (she/her) manages the museum’s database, fields information requests, coordinates Collection Study Sessions, and continues research on the Weatherspoon collection. Hannah joined the museum in June 2023. She holds an MA in Art History from American University and an MS in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, specializing in art museums and archives. She enjoys combining her art history and library science skills to make the Weatherspoon’s online collection database more accessible and effective for students and visitors. When not at the museum, Hannah can be found working on DIY projects, spending time with family, or napping with her four cats.

Emily Stamey

Elizabeth McIver Weatherspoon Curator of Academic Programming and Head of Exhibitions

Emily leads the museum’s teaching initiatives and organizes original and traveling shows. Emily has been with the Weatherspoon since 2015. Before arriving in Greensboro, she worked at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art in Arizona and the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University in Kansas. She holds a Ph.D. and an MA in art history from the University of Kansas and a BA from Grinnell College. Her recent projects at the Weatherspoon include To the Hoop: Basketball and Contemporary Art and Gilded: Contemporary Artists Explore Value and Worth. When she’s not at the museum, Emily loves reading contemporary fiction, traveling, and walking her dog. She’s passionate about sparking connections and conversations through the art that she curates and is energized by being a part of the university.

Susan Taaffe

Museum Preparator

As Preparator, Susan’s role is hands-on, preparing artwork for exhibitions, storage, and shipping, as well as installing exhibitions to meet the curators’ vision. She appreciates the Weatherspoon’s role in promoting personal, artistic, and intellectual growth that builds community. That, along with days filled with artwork, artists, collaboration, hand tools, scaffolding, lifts, and ever-changing materials, in the learning and growing atmosphere of her alma mater, has kept Susan an enthusiastic member of the WAM staff since 1996.

Michael Watson

Senior Director of Development, UNCG '11

A native of Greensboro and an alumnus of UNCG, Michael joined the museum team in November 2021 as the Senior Director of Development, responsible for all aspects of fundraising for the Weatherspoon. A first generation college graduate and a former non-traditional student, he knows first hand the impact a college education can make on someone’s life, and as such has a strong passion for public higher education. Prior to returning to campus, he worked at Georgia College in Milledgeville, GA, as a Senior Donor Engagement Officer, fundraising for an assortment of departments and programs across campus, including Andalusia, the Home of Flannery O’Connor; Georgia’s Old Governor’s Mansion; Leadership Programs; and the John E. Sallstrom Honors College. He holds a BA in History from UNC Greensboro, and a MA in Public Administration from Georgia College. He’d like to call himself an avid reader, but if he is being honest with himself, he is probably a few rungs down from “avid” these days (but he does try). He also enjoys spending time with his family, including his seven nephews and two cats, and rediscovering Greensboro’s parks.

Queentasia “Queen” Wray

Visitor Services and Security Associate

Born and raised in New York, Queentasia moved to the south in 2018. With over 20 years of experience in the security industry, her goals are to work hard, create a secure atmosphere, and be pleasant while interacting with new individuals every day. She finds delight in her work and embraces the opportunity to make others feel comfortable and welcome. Queentasia also enjoys being with her family, volunteering, and doing community service in her spare time.

Brad Young

Building and Security Manager

Brad oversees the museum’s security department and student gallery greeters. He also works on the museum’s event team. Brad has been working at the museum for nine years. Before that, he worked at Guilford College as the public safety supervisor for seven years. While at Guilford he was selected as Public Safety Officer of the Year twice and was the recipient of the Dick Dyer Hearts and Hand award for outstanding work in the Guilford community. Brad loves working at the museum and enjoys working to ensure the whole community has a fun and safe environment to come in to view the artwork on display.

2023 Weatherspoon Docents

Pat Adams-Caskie, Nancy Ayers, Kate Barrett, Cheryl Beeson, Linda Betheil, Rebecca Buffington, Celeste Chaney-Hill, Marge Cromer, Kate Cummings, Lloyd Douglas, Hollis Gabriel, Sydney Gingrow, Bill Goode, Carolyn Green, Hugh Gregson, Jane Marsh, Liz McNamara, Martha Murdoch, Barb Newbauer, Lynn Sametz, Kathy Williams, and Lynn Zimmerman.

WAM's Current Student Team

Yesenia Cruz Delasancha

Uncg, Major: Pre-nursing

Kaprianna Babilonia

UNCG, Major: CARS, Retail and Consumer Studies

Abby Patillo

UNCG, Major: Criminology

Vanesa Colindres

UNCG, Major: Media Studies

Maya Darby

UNCG, Major: Media Studies, Minor: African American and African Diaspora Studies

WAM's Past Student Team

Hannah Ginn

Uncg, Major: Social Work

Angel Duncan

Uncg, Major: Pre-elementary Education, Concentration: Environmental Studies

Laura Levin

Uncg, Major: Wgss And Art History

Aliyah Lynch

UNCG, Major: Marketing; Minor: Dance

Elissa Paula

Appalachian State University, Major: Studio Art BFA with honors

Rebekah Maupin

Elon University, Major: Art History; Concentration: Contemporary Art

Billy Dee

UNCG, MFA Candidate, Studio Arts, 2021

River Walls

UNCG, Major: Arts Administration, Concentration in Museum Studies; Minor: Art History; Minor: Interdisciplinary Arts & Social Practice

Najah Young Farrington

UNCG, Third-year Architecture. WAM Gallery Greeter

Christopher Fowler

UNCG, Major: Art Administration

Amanda Krahl

UNCG, Major: History, Secondary Education; Minor: Classical Studies

Evan Williams

UNCG, Major: History MA, Museum Studies

Samantha Oleschuk

Appalachian State University; Major: Art Management

Abigail Lawrence

New Garden Friends School Class of 2023; Guilford College Dual Enrollment

Scotty French

UNCG, Major: Psychology and Sociology, 2022

Jasmin Zamora-Cuna

UNCG, Major: History MA; Concentration: Museum Studies

Robin Bilodeau

UNCG, Major: Recreation and Parks Management; Concentration: Therapeutic Recreation

Kyaa Jasal Marie Torrence

UNCG; Major: Human Development and Family Studies

Brandon Alloway

UNCG, Major: Anthropology

Anna Abhau Elliott

UNCG, MFA Candidate, Studio Arts, 2022

Marinique Ward

UNCG, Major: Social Work

Azaria G

UNCG; Major: Dance Performance and Choreography

Justin Stanford

UNCG, Major: Studio Arts

Sa’mya Muhammad

UNCG, Major: Studio Arts

Angelica Henry

UNCG, BA Art History and Arts Administration