In the footsteps of Marian MacDowell, women lead next phase of residency
MacDowell has elected Christine Fisher to become its next president of the Board of Directors. Fisher, who first joined the board in 2015, replaces outgoing President Andrew M. Senchak, who has held the post since 2017. Fisher won unanimous support at the board’s meeting in April. The election means three of four leadership roles at MacDowell are currently held by women.
“Christine Fisher has long been a leader on the MacDowell board where she has always demonstrated tremendous thoroughness and generosity in her stewardship,” says Board Chair and MacDowell Fellow Nell Painter. “Her warmth, intelligence and devotion to artistic freedom make her a unique gift to this important institution.”
Fisher joins a leadership team of Chiwoniso Kaitano, who was named executive director in February; David Macy, who has served as resident director since 1994, and Painter, who has chaired the MacDowell board since 2020.
When she first encountered MacDowell, Fisher says she was impressed by its hands-off approach to offering artists time and space to create with no strings attached. “MacDowell supports artists by believing in their vision and giving them a supportive and inspirational environment in which to realize it. Marian MacDowell devoted her entire life to this simple but transformative idea. My colleagues on MacDowell’s board and I truly feel honored to be able to follow in Marian’s footsteps to sustain and advance that vision.”
Fisher earned a degree in international business management from the University of Maryland, College Park, where she currently serves as a trustee of the UMCP Foundation Board. She also serves on the Advisory Council for the School of Public Health at Brown University. She spent 12 years in London where she helped open the UK office for the nonprofit Women for Women International and was chair of its board until moving back to the U.S. in 2010. She then served on the organization’s U.S. board until 2016, and on their governance committee until 2019.
