FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 20, 2026

Contact: Gregory Glasson, Board Chair, National Sculpture Society

Email: PR@nationalsculpture.org

Appointment of Fabio J. Fernández as Executive Director

The National Sculpture Society announced today that Fabio J. Fernández, an experienced arts administrator and nonprofit leader, has been appointed Executive Director, effective January 26.

Fernández brings more than two decades of leadership experience across arts and cultural organizations. He previously served as Director of Greenwich House Pottery in New York and Executive Director of the Society of Arts + Crafts in Boston, where he led strategic planning, fundraising, and organizational development to support artists and creative communities.

Trained in both business and the visual arts, Fernández earned his bachelor’s in business management from Seton Hall University and Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture from Cranbrook Academy of Art. His dual perspective has informed his commitment to supporting artists, strengthening creative communities, and advancing institutions dedicated to the arts.

“Fabio brings a rare combination of administrative rigor, deep respect for artists, and an understanding of how membership organizations can thrive,” said Gregory Glasson, Board Chair of the National Sculpture Society. “He understands our mission, appreciates its history, and is well-positioned to help advance our strategic priorities, including the evolving needs of our members.”

Fernández added, “It is an honor to join the National Sculpture Society, an organization with such a distinguished legacy and enduring relevance. I look forward to working with the Board, staff, and members to build on that foundation and to support sculptors working today and into the future.”

Fernández succeeds outgoing Executive Director, Gwen Pier, who, over nearly four decades, guided the organization through extraordinary growth. During her tenure, Pier played a central role in growing the endowment from $365,000 to more than $15 million, thus strengthening the Society’s programs, exhibitions, publications, and member services. She has stewarded the organization through significant changes in the field and overseen strategic planning, the revitalization of the Society’s magazine, Sculpture Quarterly, the development of awards, scholarships, residencies, ambassador groups, and juried exhibitions, all of which have directly benefited generations of sculptors.

In addition to her leadership at NSS, Pier serves the broader arts field through roles with the Fine Arts Federation of New York, the Saltus Awards committee for lifetime achievement in medallic art, the Broadway Mall Association’s Public Art Advisory Group, and the Council of Advisors for the Women’s Suffrage National Monument in Washington, DC. Her career in both nonprofit and commercial arts spans more than 40 years and is supported by academic training at Skidmore College, Columbia University (NY), and the University of London.

“On behalf of the Board and the entire NSS community, we extend our deepest gratitude to Gwen for her extraordinary service and dedication,” Glasson said. “Her leadership for nearly forty years has left an indelible mark on the Society, and we are profoundly appreciative of the care, commitment, and vision she has brought to this organization.”

Fernández’ hire culminates a nationwide search that began last year and was conducted by Dan Yaeger, Senior Search Consultant for Museum Search & Reference, an executive placement firm specializing in the North American Museum field. The Search Committee was chaired by Glasson and included NSS Board Members Bob Jewell, Michel Langlais, Donella Lay, Susan Potje, and Basil Watson.

About the National Sculpture Society

Founded in 1893 by renowned sculptors Daniel Chester French and Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the National Sculpture Society is the oldest organization in the United States dedicated to supporting, promoting, and advancing representational sculpture.

The Society maintains offices and a gallery in New York City and serves a national membership of approximately 1,000 artists and arts professionals across the United States. Through exhibitions, publications, educational programs, awards, and professional opportunities, the National Sculpture Society supports sculptors at all stages of their careers and advocates for representational sculpture nationwide.