The McLean County Museum of History has hired Julie Emig as its new executive director.
"What the museum is really good at doing and what makes McLean County history so interesting is there are still a lot of untapped or untold stories we can explore. And I also think just the vibrancy of this community is making history," said Emig.
Emig has spent the last year as director of the McLean County Multicultural Leadership Program and is a city council member in Bloomington's Ward 4.
“We are very excited to have Julie on board to lead our Museum into a very bright future. Welcome Julie,” said Museum Board President Bob Watkins.
Emig has a Ph.D. in literacy, language, and cultural education from Boston University. She has held teaching positions at Illinois State University, Bard College, and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
“I am honored to have accepted the position; the Museum and MCLP are united in their work to elevate and educate our community,” said Emig.
Emig said she believes she can continue to be both a city council member and the head of a not-for-profit cultural and education institution.
"I have to be very intentional about it. And if there is ever any time I need to back off and recuse myself from something, I will. But I don't see that tension being too problematic," said Emig.
Emig acknowledged partisan considerations sometimes enter council decisions. In response to a question whether a city opponent could paint her in a partisan light and hurt the museum she said the way to avoid that issue is to have a transparent decision making process on the council that uses good information.
The museum said Emig and Interim Director Greg Koos will work on a two-month transition to the new position. Emig said she also will work on a change to new leadership at the Multicultural Leadership Program.
Emig will succeed previous director Adam Lovell, who resigned in October 2019 after about 18 months in the position.
Emig and her partner Mary live with their daughter in Bloomington.
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