Please join us in welcoming this year’s program co-chairs and volunteer coordinator. We are grateful to co-chair’s Beth Fischer, Sabriyah Hassan, and Brittney Oleniacz for their support and creativity as they work with proposal reviewers to build this year’s conference program, and to volunteer coordinator Aaron Cohen as he supports our conference sessions and events in Lawrence, Kansas.
Program Co-Chairs
Beth Fischer
Beth Fischer is the Assistant Curator for Digital Learning & Research at the Williams College Museum of Art. She teaches how digital approaches can be used to research museum objects and collections in new ways to students in classes ranging from chemistry to comparative literature, and leads projects to expand access to the museum collection through digital tools. Beth works with museum staff to apply computational imaging techniques like Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI) to research, and to expand museum cataloging to make it more adaptable for a variety of internal and external data projects. Beth received her PhD in Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and got into digital approaches to art while working on early medieval manuscripts and metalwork.
Sabriyah Hassan, M.Ed.
Sabriyah Hassan-Ismail is a visionary leader and advocate for museum education. As the Director of Programs at the Banneker-Douglass Museum, she utilizes her extensive expertise in cultural programming and experiential learning to create impactful experiences for varying audiences. Since April 2020, despite the challenges of the pandemic, Sabriyah has grown the museum’s audience engagement and impact by offering a wide array of educational programs through virtual and in-person formats. Additionally, she actively contributes to the advancement of Black museums as a member of the Association of African American Museum’s security working group, where she ensures Black-led museums throughout the country are equipped with the physical and digital tools needed to operate in a safe and efficient manner. Sabriyah’s passion for museum education, dedication to inclusivity, and unwavering commitment to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage make her an invaluable asset to the museum world and the field of cultural programming.
Brittney Oleniacz
Brittney Oleniacz is a data analyst with Beshenich Muir & Associates working with the US Army General Command & Staff College. She earned bachelor’s degrees in geology and biology from Edinboro University and then attended the University of Kansas for a master’s degree in museum studies. She began her museum career at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History as an undergraduate and worked on three collection digitization projects across KU Natural Museum and the American Museum of Natural History throughout her master’s studies.
After finishing her master’s she researched fossil arachnids at the University of Kansas, served as a technical editor on a paleontological dictionary (A Concise Dictionary of Paleontology, 2019, Springer), and earned a certificate in data analytics and visualization. Brittney enjoys the intricacies of writing code and transforming raw data into useful insights. Brittney is fascinated by the intersection of modern data analytics, traditional natural science, and museums. She looks forward to attending and supporting the Museum Computer Network 2024 conference!
Volunteer Coordinator
Aaron Cohen
Aaron Cohen is the Operations & Systems Manager at Poster House in NYC, the first poster museum in the United States, and has been with the institution since it opened in 2019. He is experienced in overseeing visitor services, IT/Cybersecurity initiatives, building management, community programming, and policy development. Aaron is an advocate of tech in the arts and values teachable moments, communication in all directions, and sci-fi novels.