Deborah Rechter
Visitor experience, curatorial and creative oversight in museums, heritage sites and cultural spaces
Qualifications
Ph.D (English Lit), Diploma of Education, 25 years in the museum sector, Creative Writing teacher, Editor and mentor
Areas of Expertise
Arts / Music / Literature, Australian Jewish history & community, Community services and engagement, Cultural diversity, Education, Governance, History / archaeology, Mentoring / motivational speaking, Organizational change / development, Strategic planning
My Biography
I am a pragmatic problem solver with professional experience in the education and museum sectors. An abiding priority in my professional and community projects has been to reframe Australian and Jewish history by putting women back into the stories. I have held strategic and leadership roles in the Melbourne Jewish community and not-for-profit organisations. I was a founder and remain an executive board member of Jewish Women of Words, an online platform for people interested in Jewish women’s writing. I enjoy mentoring women writers through JWOW and Pathways. I have got my hands dirty in grassroots organisations such as Habonim, Jewish Museum of Australia and LimmudOz. I work as an experience director specialising in curatorial and creative oversight of social history projects and exhibitions since starting my first paid job at the Jewish Museum of Australia in 1997. My professional area of expertise is Australian community and cultural history. I consult to large public institutions such as the State Library Victoria and Museum of Australian Democracy and Australian Electoral Commission. Education has been a focus and long-term interest with experience in tertiary, secondary and scholarship management settings. I have undergraduate and post graduate degrees (PhD in English Literature) and a Diploma of Education. I have experience and expertise in writing, editing, mentoring strategic planning, NFP management, public speaking, stakeholder management, large complex projects, team management, organisation oversight, working with budgets.