The Jaffrey Civic Center has hired Emily Russman to take the reigns as the new executive director.
Russman will be taking over from current director Laura Adams, as Adams steps away to start her family.
Originally from the seacoast, Russman said she moved to Keene about 10 years ago, and fell in love with the area. She now lives in Marlborough.
A 2026 graduate of Keene State College with a Fine Arts degree, Russman has prior experience at the Hannah Grimes Marketplace in Keene, both as a shopkeeper and as an assistant manager, where she cultivated relationships with artists and artisans in the community. She also worked at the Thorne Sagendorph Art Gallery at Keene State as a gallery assistant for the last four years and held an internship at the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, assisting with general museum operations, exhibition setup and breakdown, and enhancing planned exhibits.
Adams said she and Russman knew each other through Russman’s work at the Thorne, and said her familiarity with artists in the area through her other gallery work was a selling point.
“I think what the board really decided was going to make her a great fit was her experience in multiple nonprofit museum and art galleries in the region, but her experience with local artists that we have overlap with. Also, her sense of humor, her kindness, and her ability to jump into something very quickly,” Adams said.
Russman said building those relationships with local artists is one of her favorite things about the job.
“I’m always excited to see what people are making, and getting to know the artists that are around. You think you know everyone, and then you find 10 more you’ve never heard of,” Russman said. “And there are more all the time. New people get inspired at all walks of life, and it’s incredible to see.”
She said she was excited to work at an organization that filled that need for the community.
“Having a community center that’s very arts-based, I think, is so important. I think we’ve seen that, through so many phases of the last several years. It matters to people to have arts around,” Russman said. “So, this place, the whole point is developing that world, and I think that’s huge.”
Plans are underway for the Civic Center to celebrate its 60th Anniversary this year, with exhibits planned for the month of August on the center’s history. Russman will be taking over that project from Adams. She said while it’s a big challenge to take on immediately, she’s excited for it.
“I’m coming in at a historical moment, but it’s great, I’m happy to be around for it. I get into the big stuff first, I’m about jumping right in,” Russman said.
The Civic Center will host a gathering on May 30 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to serve as both a welcome for Russman and a farewell for Adams. The public is welcome to attend.