S.F. Jewish museum has new leader
The Contemporary Jewish Museum announced its new executive director, Chad Coerver, on Wednesday, July 21, who will take the helm after 22 years with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Coerver, who will begin his new position in September, replaces Lori Starr, the organization’s director for seven years before departing in late 2020. During his decadeslong career at SFMOMA, Coerver served as chief content officer; director of publications, graphic design and web; and managing editor. Most recently he was the organization’s chief education and community engagement officer, a position that was created for him in 2019.
“Doing so many kinds of jobs is pretty great preparation for a museum director,” Coerver told The Chronicle. “(But) you can only get so many lives at a single organization.”
Coerver’s museum career has been marked by seeking innovative ways to engage with the community. In 2018, Coerver was instrumental in the creation of the SFMOMA’s Magritte Interpretive Gallery, which mixed augmented reality technology with art. During the pandemic, he was part of a partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District to distribute art kits to students while they were learning remotely.
Throughout his career, Coerver has been known for his passion for creating emotional connections through art and making art and museums accessible to everyone. One of his earliest professions was as an art history professor, which taught him that he needed to take risks in order to connect with people.
“Museums can be quite imposing to those who don’t know about them,” Coerver said. “I can remember quite clearly the first time I ever walked into a modern art museum, and I realized what a strange place it was. I keep that memory of not understanding how to behave in that kind of institution really close to me.”
Coerver said that the CJM has a unique opportunity to be a voice for social justice for all groups, and he is excited to find new ways to engage with the entire community through his new position.
“If you are not authentically about your values as an organization, you’re gonna have real trouble connecting with people,” Coerver said. “As somebody who did not grow up Jewish and married into the community, I’m really interested in thinking about how somebody who is in an interfaith marriage can be a bridge to other communities in the Bay Area.”
Kerry King, the organization’s chief operating officer who has served as interim executive director since October, is excited about the perspective and passion Coerver will bring.
“As we come out of this period that has been so challenging and so uncertain, how do we become even more connected to people in the community? (Coerver) has such a diverse experi
ence and will bring that to the museum, and I’m just excited to see where that will take us,” King said. “To have someone who brings that amount of passion, vision, experience all together with the enthusiasm and respect for the arts community, and the Jewish community, is what excites me.”
King, who has spent six years with the CJM, said that as the museum moves out of pandemic mode, there will be a lot of risktaking. She said she believes Coerver is the right person to spearhead those risks.
The CJM, which was founded in 1984, was created with the hope of introducing the Jewish experience to diverse, modern audiences through art and dialogue. Coerver hopes to continue his track record of growing engagement and finding new audiences at the CJM, while making sure that everyone can feel comfortable in the environment.
“The way to lose your audience is for them to feel that other people are in on a joke that they’re not getting,” Coerver said.