The Tampa Bay History Center Names International Library and Cultural Heritage Leader Audrey Chapuis as its Next President and CEO

TAMPA, Fla. – The Tampa Bay History Center proudly announces the appointment of Audrey Chapuis as its next President and CEO, following unanimous approval by the Board of Trustees. Recognized internationally for her distinguished leadership in cultural and academic institutions, Chapuis will guide the museum into its next chapter, working alongside its talented team to honor a legacy of excellence and expand its cultural reach.

“We are tremendously excited to welcome Audrey to the Tampa Bay History Center,” said Board of Trustees Chair Chris Alvarez. “Over the last summer, we received absolutely stunning interest from candidates around the world to lead the History Center, and Audrey stood out as exemplifying everything we would want in our next leader – with exceptional academic and nonprofit credentials, as well as a proven track record of fundraising and innovative program development. We are confident Audrey will build on our strong foundation and guide the History Center into an exciting new chapter.”

One of Florida’s premiere cultural destinations, the Tampa Bay History Center on Tampa’s downtown Riverwalk serves as the official caretaker of Hillsborough County’s historic records and tells the 12,000-year history of the region that now encompasses eight regional counties.  In addition to three floors of hands-on exhibits and historic experiences, the Tampa Bay History Center is home to the world’s most extensive collection of historic maps of Florida and the Caribbean, including some of the rarest and earliest maps to show settlements in continental America and Mexico.

“I am honored and energized to join the Tampa Bay History Center,” Chapuis said. “The Gulf Coast region’s history is as diverse and dynamic as its people, and I’m eager to collaborate with the community to bring those stories to life in innovative and engaging ways.”

Born and raised in Texas and a long-time Midwesterner, Chapuis is currently the Executive Director of the American Library in Paris, Inc., an independent nonprofit with a legacy dating back to World War I to provide American soldiers with English literature. Steps from the Eiffel Tower, the ALP has become a premiere research and cultural destination in Paris and the largest English-language lending library on the European continent.

Chapuis comes to the Tampa Bay History Center with tremendous academic credentials, including a Bachelor of Liberal Arts, Concentration in English and American Literature from Harvard University – Harvard Extension School, plus a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as well as an Executive Masters in Business Administration (specializing in Digital Transformation) from HEC Paris. She also headed Access Services at the Northwestern University School of Law’s Pritzker Legal Research Center in Chicago, and serves on the boards of Marymount International School, Paris, and News Decoder, a nonprofit dedicated to global citizenship through journalism and education.

On a personal note, Chapuis is an avid reader, walker, and urban sketcher. She will move to the Tampa region and officially begin at the Tampa Bay History Center later this year. She looks forward to exploring Tampa Bay’s cultural institutions, waterfront, and neighborhoods, and to becoming an active participant in the region’s civic and cultural life.

The Tampa Bay History Center engaged Kittleman & Associates to conduct a search for its new top executive, led by Principal, Megan Lewis. Kittleman is a national executive search firm that specializes in the recruitment of CEOs for nonprofit organizations, public charities, and philanthropic organizations. Kittleman recruits leaders for the entire nonprofit sector including human services agencies, museums, public gardens, and foundations. For more information, visit https://www.kittlemansearch.com/.