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July 8, 2026

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 HONOLULU MUSEUM OF ART APPOINTS DAVID ODO AS NEXT DIRECTOR 

HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I—The Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) today announced the appointment of David Odo as its next director and CEO, following an extensive international search. He will assume his role on Sept. 1.

His appointment comes at a pivotal moment as HoMA prepares for its Centennial in 2027 and advances a long-term vision to expand access, deepen community engagement, and strengthen its role as a cultural anchor for Hawai‘i.

 A respected and innovative museum administrator, curator, scholar, and educator who was raised in Hawai‘i, Odo joins HoMA from the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia, where he serves as director and chief curator. In that role, he oversees a broad portfolio spanning institutional vision and strategy, financial stewardship, fundraising, collections, and educational direction.

“David brings the experience, vision, and leadership that HoMA needs as we prepare to enter our second century,” said Amber Strong Makaiau, chair of HoMA’s board of trustees. “His record of strengthening museums through thoughtful strategic growth, sound institutional stewardship, and meaningful community engagement gives us every confidence that he is the right leader for HoMA at this important moment in our history. His understanding of Hawai‘i and international experience uniquely position him to lead the museum forward. We are excited about the formidable team he will make with Penni Hall, who has ably guided the Museum during this transition period and will now serve as HoMA’s deputy director. Their complementary experience and institutional knowledge will help ensure a seamless transition and continued momentum through our Centennial celebrations.”

Odo brings nearly two decades of leadership experience across museums, universities, and cultural institutions. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for combining scholarly excellence with a deep commitment to public access, community engagement, and institutional innovation. His work has helped expand audiences, strengthen collections, advance research, and foster meaningful connections between museums and the communities they serve.

“I am honored to work alongside the Honolulu Museum of Art’s talented team, trustees, members, supporters, educators, and community partners at this important moment in its history,” said Odo. “HoMA holds a world-class collection, deep civic roots, and a community that has claimed it as its own for nearly a hundred years. What excites me is honoring that legacy while boldly positioning the museum for its next century. One of my fondest memories of the museum is a family visit while I was in middle school. I found myself particularly drawn to the sculptures in the Buddhism gallery. They sparked my curiosity about world religions. That’s one of the things I love about art museums—they hold so much possibility to encourage one’s interest in a limitless number of subjects, and I’m excited to continue that legacy for others in our community.”

At the Georgia Museum of Art, Odo led a multidisciplinary institution that serves more than 61,000 annual visitors and stewards a collection of nearly 20,000 works of art. Under his leadership, the museum saw record attendance, paid memberships increased 67%, the number of donors grew 8%, and overall museum revenue increased 141%. He has advanced the museum’s role as both a university art museum and a cultural resource for the public, with initiatives expanding access to collections, strengthening cross-disciplinary learning, advancing scholarly research, and deepening public engagement.

Prior to joining the Georgia Museum of Art, Odo held leadership positions at the Harvard Art Museums and Yale University Art Gallery. An internationally recognized scholar with expertise in 19th-century photography of Japan, Odo held appointments at the Rijksmuseum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Osaka National Museum of Ethnology, the University of Tokyo, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. His current research affiliations include the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford and the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University.

“David stood out in an exceptionally strong pool of candidates,” said Cathy Schultz, a HoMA trustee and chair of the director search committee. “His record of leadership at internationally recognized institutions, combined with his commitment to education and public service, made him the clear choice. We are confident he will build on HoMA’s strengths while expanding its reach, relevance, and impact.”

Odo succeeds former director Halona Norton-Westbrook and interim director Penni Hall, who successfully steered the Museum over the past year. As HoMA prepares for its Centennial in 2027, the institution is focused on long-range strategic planning, collections stewardship, expanded community engagement programs, and a campaign to strengthen its future.

Raised in Kailua, O‘ahu, Odo’s connection to Hawai‘i adds a personal dimension to his appointment. He is the son of the late Dr. Franklin Odo, a pioneering Asian Studies scholar who served as the first permanent director of the ethnic studies program at the University of Hawai‘i in 1978.

As director and CEO, Odo will lead HoMA’s team, oversee its collection and programs, advance fundraising and strategic initiatives, and guide the institution as it enters its second century of service to Hawai‘i and the broader art community.

About the Honolulu Museum of Art

www.honolulumuseum.org

Communications: 808-532-8712

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