Women Building Better

The National Museum of Women in the Arts’s (NMWA) monthly talk show connects viewers to the museum and its mission to champion women artists. In this episode, conservator Wendy Jessup and architects Cara Versace and Sandra Vicchio discuss their involvement with the NMWA renovation.

Wendy Jessup is a conservator in private practice, specializing in preventive conservation. She established Wendy Jessup and Associates, Inc. (WJ&A) in 1987 after having worked at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and Smithsonian Institution. WJ&A aims to create sustainable facilities that provide for the long-term preservation, protection, and accessibility of collections. A Fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works, Jessup has conducted conservation assessments for more than 60 museums and historic sites; completed collections management plans for numerous U.S. National Park Service (NPS) museums; and completed the first comprehensive Preventive Conservation Plan for an NPS service unit.

Cara Versace, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, is an architect and one of the leaders of the cultural sector at Marshall Craft Associates, headquartered in Baltimore. In her career, she has managed a range of projects spanning distinguished museums with international audiences to local community centers and libraries. Additionally, Versace is an active member of the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums and the International Association of Museum Facility Administrators. A graduate of Syracuse University, Versace studied abroad in Florence, Italy—an experience that influenced her ability to integrate contemporary elements into historic structures while maintaining their original character.

Sandra Parsons Vicchio, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is a principal architect with more than 30 years of experience in programming, planning, architecture, and design. Her experience includes cultural institutions, K-12 and higher education, health care, and corporations, particularly those undergoing transformation and change. Her portfolio includes historic preservation, renovation, and new construction encompassing laboratory, office, academic, administrative, visitor center, library and museum spaces. She has presented her work at national meetings and co-authored a book documenting her students’ work at the University of Maryland College Park. Vicchio holds Bachelor of Science in Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees from the University of Virginia. She uses her platform as a woman business owner to uplift and amplify the wide range of contributions of women to the arts, architecture, culture, and design.

For more information, email education@nmwa.org.