Tricia Edwards

Tricia Edwards is Deputy Director for Smithsonian Affiliations, where she develops strategic priorities and directs operations of the Affiliations program which serves more than 200 museums and cultural organizations across the United States and Panama. She is currently leading her team in the implementation of a new strategic plan to support the work of Affiliations and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) to catalyze public engagement, deepen understanding of our world, and spark learning, enjoyment, and wonder by connecting the expertise, collections, and resources of the Smithsonian to the Affiliate and SITES networks.

Prior to joining Affiliations, Edwards spent 12 years as the Head of Education for the Smithsonian’s Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation at the National Museum of American History. She developed the conceptual framework and led evaluation efforts for the Center’s educational programs and activities, including the Draper Spark!Lab, a hands-on invention workspace for children and families at NMAH. She was also responsible for broadening Spark!Lab’s impact beyond Washington, DC, and oversaw installations of Spark!Labs in cities across the U.S. and abroad.

Before coming to the Smithsonian, Edwards directed the education departments at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, and the Delaware Museum of Natural History. She began her career as a pre-school teacher.