Ellen Tepfer

Ellen Tepfer is a passionate advocate for the possibility of art to make meaningful connections to people’s lives. Growing up in NYC, museums seemed full of endless possibilities, a place where the mind soared. She started her career with getting her PhD in Art History and teaching in university settings, but soon became frustrated by the limitations of audience reach within academia and stifled by the top-down approach. Moving into museum education gave her the opportunity to develop more creative ways to engage more deeply with a wider range of audiences as active participants. Now, as the Manager of Teaching Strategies at the Whitney Museum of American Art, she develops expansive pedagogical, mentoring, and training initiatives to foster visitor-centered engagement in the galleries.