The Board of Directors of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles announces that Marianna Gatto will step down as Executive Director at the end of June 2026. We do so with deep gratitude for her years of service and with admiration for all she has built.
Marianna has been the heart and soul of IAMLA since its very beginning. What is today a vibrant cultural institution, a place where the history and contributions of Italian Americans in Los Angeles are preserved, celebrated and shared with the world, began with her vision. With perseverance, creativity and unwavering dedication, she turned that vision into reality. She led the campaign to restore historic Italian Hall, opened the museum in 2016 and created its award-winning permanent exhibition. Under her leadership the IAMLA mounted eleven original temporary exhibitions, built a collection of thousands of photographs, artifacts and oral histories, and offered public programs that reached audiences across Los Angeles and beyond.
We are profoundly grateful for everything Marianna has given to the museum and to the broader Italian American community, and we know that her impact will be felt for generations to come.
The Board will oversee the transition and plans to begin a search for a new Executive Director in the fall of 2026. In the interim, Theresa Camille Adile Metzler, a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, will serve as Interim Executive Director.
This summer, the museum will mark an important milestone: the 10-year anniversary of the museum's grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at our historic 1908 site in Downtown Los Angeles. Look for plans about that soon. In the meantime, we remain committed to continuing the important work of preserving and sharing the rich history of Italian Americans through this transition and for years beyond.
We invite our members, donors, and friends to join us in celebrating Marianna's extraordinary contributions and wishing her well in this next chapter.
Con gratitudine,
The Board of Directors
