Global Village Museum Staff
The Global Village Museum is led by a passionate team dedicated to cultural education, community engagement, and global storytelling.
Emily Zaynard
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | director@globalvillagemuseum.org
Emily (she/her) keeps the museum running smoothly, from managing operations to welcoming visitors. A creative thinker with a love for art and history, she enjoys exploring museums, historic sites, and—when possible—cat cafés.
Emily received her BA in Fine Art from Cornell College and brings humor, efficiency, and a passion for storytelling to her work at the museum.
Sam Hensley
CURATOR OF COLLECTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS | collections@globalvillagemuseum.org
An art historian by training with a penchant for falling down obscure historical rabbit holes, Sam Hensley (he/him) brings a passion for global visual culture and cutting-edge museum practices to his work at the GVM. His research focuses on Japanese art and craft at moments of political and cultural transition, exploring the role of artmaking in tempering times of personal and social upheaval. When he isn’t spending hours flipping through old art history volumes or hiding in collections storage, Sam enjoys early morning hikes, live music, and searching for the best iced americano in town.
Sam holds an MA in East Asian Art History and Critical Museology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BA in Pre-Columbian Art History and Japanese Studies from West Virginia University.
Minami Massey
MUSEUM SHOP MANAGER | shop@globalvillagemuseum.org
Minami (she/her) enjoys bringing her love of culture and art to the museum through acquiring goods for people to buy from all over the world at the museum gift shop. She loves museums, art, and traveling, as well as learning about cultures around the world.
Minami graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in Japanese.
Kasey Medlin
OUTREACH & PROGRAMS MANAGER | outreach@globalvillagemuseum.org
Kasey (she/her) is an arts administration professional and photographer, who brings a passion for museums and marketing. When she’s not working, she’s making videos about niche photo history content, watching cult films, or prepping dough for a killer pizza.
Kasey received a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a concentration in photography.
