Headshot of a woman with a brown pixie cut, smiling, wearing a red blazer.
Under Secretary for Education

Tricia Edwards

Interim Director for Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and Smithsonian Affiliations

Tricia Edwards is the interim director for Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) and Smithsonian Affiliations.

Previously, Edwards was the deputy director for SITES and the Affiliates program, where she provided executive leadership and direction for overall planning, development and management of all programs and activities. She has led the organization in the implementation of a new strategic plan to catalyze public engagement and spark learning, enjoyment and wonder by connecting the resources of the Smithsonian to a vital network of museums and other educational and cultural organizations. Prior to this role, she served as the deputy director for Smithsonian Affiliations and interim deputy director for exhibits, finance and administration for SITES.

Before joining SITES and Smithsonian Affiliations, Edwards spent 12 years as the head of education for the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, where she developed Spark!Lab, a hands-on invention workspace for children. She also oversaw installations of Spark!Labs in cities across the U.S. and abroad.

Prior to coming to the Smithsonian, Edwards directed education activities at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund and Delaware Museum of Natural History. She began her career as a pre-school teacher.

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SI-188-2024