The Preservation Society of Newport County appointed Leslie B. Jones Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator in February of 2019.
She oversees curatorial, conservation, collections management, site stewardship, exhibitions, interpretation, the annual research fellows program, and public programs such as lectures, the Newport Symposium and the Emerging Scholars Colloquium.
Previously, Jones was the Vice President, Museum Affairs & Curator of Decorative Arts at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens, a 55-acre botanical garden, art museum, and historic house in Nashville, Tenn., where she directed the department staff, collections, exhibitions and associated programming. Before joining Cheekwood, she was Curator and Director of Historical Resources & Programming for the White House Historical Association. She was intimately involved in the revitalization of the White House Visitor Center, which debuted in 2014.
As an independent consultant, Jones has provided advice and leadership in all areas of museum administration to many clients, including Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester, Mich., the Green-Meldrim House in Savannah, Ga., Woodlawn Plantation in Alexandria, Va., and Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Jones received her Bachelor’s degree in the history of art and architecture from Miami University in Ohio, a Master’s degree in the history of decorative arts from the Smithsonian Institution’s joint program with the Corcoran College of Art + Design, and another Master’s in the appraisal of fine and decorative art from New York University.