Fellows

Submission Deadline: February 1

We award the honorific title of Fellow to Professional Members who have made notable achievements in the advancement of the conservation profession and its methods, training, knowledge, and philosophies.

Submit a Nomination

Election Eligibility

Nominees can include any Professional Member who meets these qualifications:

  • Professionalism: Nominees should have 5 years of Professional Membership and have been engaged with the field for at least 12 years. Engagement may include collaborating, mentoring, participating in professional development opportunities, reviewing grants, maintaining membership in professional organizations, and contributing to the body of conservation knowledge.

  • Service: Nominees should have a notable record of service within the organization and the profession. This may include serving as a volunteer leader in the organization, encouraging promotion of conservation and the organization, publishing, education, and mentoring.

  • Ethical Practice: Nominees should be known for advocating for our Code of Ethics and Guidelines for Practice, practicing ethical behavior, and serving as a role model for ethical practice.

Search for Current Fellows

Member Restricted

Members can use our online member directory to search for Fellows with an active membership.

Search

IIC American Group (1960)

History of Fellows

When the American Group of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) separated to form the American Institute for Conservation (AIC) as an autonomous organization in 1972, its first Fellow members were those who had been Fellows in IIC.

From then until 2023, Fellow was a peer-reviewed membership category determined by application on the part of the prospective Fellow. Now, it is a purely honorific title determined by support from one's colleagues. 

View List of Fellows


Photo: First Meeting of the IIC American Group at the Isabella Steward Garner Museum (May 24, 1960)

Election Perks

Special Badge and Ribbon

We add a special "Fellow" badge to member profiles. Fellows can also put a special ribbon on their name badge at our annual meeting.

Dedicated Online Community

We have a dedicated online community for Fellows and their concerns. Our Board of Directors may occasionally consult them as needed.

Standing in the Field

We think nominating someone for Fellow is one of the best ways to highlight advancements in the field that would otherwise go unnoticed. Nominees earn esteem from known professionals in the field, and the field as a whole gains from the recognition. 

Fellow Profiles

Fellows have many different backgrounds, training, and specialities.

Ellen Pearlstein

Objects Conservator



Being a Fellow of AIC-my national membership organization-fills me with pride, as a committee of my peers found my work to constitute a valued contribution to my beloved profession.






Emerita Research Professor
UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage
Los Angeles, CA

Craig Deller

Objects Conservator



Becoming a Fellow of AIC represents a professional milestone for me, and the recognition from my peers has given me the confidence to explore opportunities I never would have imagined.






Professor (Retired)
School of The Art Institute of Chicago
Madison, WI

Priscilla Anderson

Book Conservator



This recognition by my peers and professional organization raised my confidence in what I have to offer the field, specifically, to speak up on thorny issues, to volunteer for leadership roles, and to support the future of the field through supervising internships.






Head of Preventive Programs
Harvard Library Preservation Services
Cambridge, MD

Chela Metzger

Book Conservator



Being a Fellow allowed me to think and write comprehensively about my profession, which is valuable to me. It also allows me to write letters of support for colleagues who are ready to become Fellows!






Head of Preservation & Conservation
UCLA Library
Los Angeles, CA

Nomination Form Parts

Nominations have these two essential parts.

3 Sponsors

The names of three Fellows who have agreed to write a sponsor letter. If self-nominating, letters are not anonymous to the prospective fellow.

Resume/CV

A CV or resume that includes formal education, other related training and education, and professional experience.

Nomination Process

Nominations follow this basic timeline of steps in the process.

Nomination Submission

Nominators, including those self-nominating, submit a nomination by February 1.

Committee Review

The Membership Committee will evaluate the nomination and decide whether to put it to current Fellows for comment.

Fellow Comment Period

Current Fellows will have thirty days to comment on the nominee's eligibility.

Election

If no issues arise during the comment period, the nominee is elected as a Fellow. We will then inform them and induct them at our annual awards ceremony.

Nomination Review Committee

Nomination are reviewed by our Membership Committee.

Rebecca Gridley

Rebecca Gridley

Chair (2025-2026)

Rebecca holds a BA in Art History from Yale University, and an MS in Conservation and MA in Art History & Archaeology from the Conservation Center, The Institute of Fine Arts, NYU. She is currently an Associate Objects Conservator at Art Conservation Group, a private practice studio in New York specializing in objects conservation. ACG serves private collectors, major museums, galleries, and auction houses across the world, and provides a wide range of services, including conservation treatment, consulting services, condition surveys, scientific analysis, preventive conservation and collections care, and pest and mold remediation.

Before joining ACG, Rebecca worked as an Assistant Conservator the Objects Conservation Department at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, where she completed her internship year placement. She has also held graduate internships at The Brooklyn Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, The Frick Collection, and the American Museum of Natural History. Before graduate school she worked in private practices in Chicago and New York.

Rebecca is an active volunteer for both AIC and the International Committee for Museums-Conservation Committee (ICOM-CC) Glass & Ceramics Working Group. She has published and presented on the conservation of glass objects, and regularly lectures at the graduate level on ceramics technology and glass conservation.

Patricia M.

Anthony Hita

Member (2026-2029)

Anthony Hita is an architectural conservator specializing in the conservation and restoration of historical architectural masonry and masonry-related materials including earthen construction, plaster, stucco, and mortars.  He specializes in diagnostics, scientific analysis, prescription of compatible materials, on-site sampling, and project consulting, with particular expertise in lime-based materials. His practice integrates knowledge of both traditional craftwork and modern material science to inform context-sensitive conservation strategies that honor original materials while ensuring long-term durability and aesthetic continuity.  He is an officer in ASTM Committees C07 on Lime and Limestone and C15 on Masonry, chairing several subcommittees responsible for maintaining and developing standards for the construction industry. in addition to the AIC, he is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology (APT) and Vernacular Architecture Forum (VAF).
 
Anthony has a Masters of Science in Historic Preservation (2018) from the University of Pennsylvania's Weitzman School of Design. Since 2018, he has been the laboratory manager of LimeWorks.us and conservation science instructor at the Craftwork Training Center. He also has his own private practice, Archway Preservation, to provide services beyond those offered by LimeWorks, including architectural history, materials analysis, workshop leadership, and individual project consulting.

Michael Henry

Kelly Keegan

Member (2026-2029)

Kelly Keegan is currently Associate Paintings Conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago. She received a BA in Art History from Rutgers University, and an M.A. in Art History and an Advanced Certificate in Conservation from the Institute of Fine Arts at New York University. Prior to joining the Art Institute, Kelly worked at Cranmer Art Conservation in New York. Since her graduate internship at the Art Institute in 2005, she has remained in the Conservation department under various fellowships and special projects positions. Her focus includes research and treatment of 19th through 21st century paintings, and contemporary technical imaging and image processing techniques. Kelly has researched the paintings of Jasper Johns, Auguste Renoir, Camille Pissarro, Gustave Caillebotte, Ivan Albright, and Bruce Goff for publication.

Contact Us

membership@culturalheritage.org or 202.661.8065

Stephanie Lussier

Stephanie M. Lussier

Member (2025-2028)

Stephanie M. Lussier is the conservator for works on paper and photographs at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. Stephanie is interested in interdisciplinary projects that enhance the dialogue among conservators and allied professionals. She is actively engaged in education and has taught paper conservation treatment and connoisseurship topics at the graduate level, has led hands-on workshops for allied professionals, and is the co-developer and co-instructor of the professional development course Modern/Contemporary Print Identification, first presented by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation in 2012. Ms. Lussier holds an M.A. with a Certificate of Advanced Study in Art Conservation, with a specialization in paper conservation, awarded by Buffalo State College, and a B.F.A. in Art History and Printmaking awarded by Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Stephanie served as Board Director of Professional Education for the American Institute for Conservation and Artistic Works from 2011-2017. In this position, Stephanie acts as the liaison to the Education and Training Committee (ETC) where she advises on long-term goals and planning related to professional education for the membership, and as liaison to the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network where she advises on and guides program development.

Nancie Ravenel

Nancie Ravenel

Member (2023-2026)

Nancie Ravenel is head of conservation at Shelburne Museum in Vermont. In the past, she served as Director, Communications, on the AIC Board.

Alex Lim

Alex B. Lim

Board Liaison (2026-2029)

Alex B. Lim is an architectural conservator based in southern Arizona and serves with the National Park Service at Tumacácori National Historical Park, where he works to preserve Spanish mission remains and associated cultural landscapes. His practice focuses on the conservation of archaeological sites, historic structures, and heritage places in partnership with descendant communities, interdisciplinary teams, and public stakeholders.

Over 14 years of public service, he has worked throughout the American Southwest—including the Four Corners region. Prior to joining the Park Service, he also worked in the arid climates of Turkey, Greece, and Azerbaijan, focusing on archaeological site conservation. His experience spans field conservation, project planning, and long-term stewardship in complex environmental and cultural contexts. He is committed to advancing conservation practice through collaboration, public engagement, and responsible preservation of shared heritage. He holds a Master of Science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor’s degree in the natural sciences from Johns Hopkins University. His path into conservation began after a formative semester in Florence, Italy, and an internship at the National Museum of Asian Art, which led him to specialize in architectural and archaeological conservation. An active member of the AIC, he values professional service, interdisciplinary exchange, and mentorship within the field. He is committed to strengthening connections across specialties and supporting a welcoming professional community for both emerging and established conservators. He enjoys engaging with local cultures and languages as part of his work and daily life. He speaks intermediate Spanish and Turkish and is fluent in Korean.