SANTA FE, NM – The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (NMDCA) announced today that Khristaan Villela, executive director of Museum of International Folk Art and chair of arts and sciences for NMDCA, has become an associate director at Getty Research Institute. He will oversee the Dissemination and External Affairs. 

The full release from GSI can be found here. 

Villela has been executive director at MOIFA since 2016. 

“During his tenure, Dr. Villela has increased the visibility of the museum, while forging new partnerships within and beyond the department that have benefited New Mexicans across the state,” said NMDCA Cabinet Secretary Debra Garcia y Griego. “Although he will be greatly missed, we congratulate him on his new position and wish him great success.” 

An interim executive director will be named while the Board of Regents for the Museum of New Mexico undertakes an executive search.