Heather Malcom becomes the director of development and Keith Thalhamer, the director of security and facilities at the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia in Athens.
For almost 17 years in UGA’s Division of Development and Alumni Relations and recently as senior director of donor relations and stewardship, Malcom previously served as director of development of the Joel A. Katz Music and Entertainment Business Program at Kennesaw State University; director of corporate and community relations at UGA’s Terry College of Business; and as development and special events coordinator at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia.
Malcom has a master’s of science from UGA and a bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science and Journalism, also from UGA. In addition, she is a member of Leadership Georgia, Leadership Columbus, Leadership Athens and Chi Omega Sorority.
Malcolm’s first major task is to focus on endowing curatorial and staff positions at the museum as part of UGA’s ongoing billion-dollar capital campaign. She said, “I am excited to be a part of the museum’s team. I know what a privilege and an honor it is to work with such loyal patrons.”
Thalhamer is a newcomer to Athens, he said, “I am glad to be here to help the museum fulfill its public service mission.” Most recently, he was a commander of special operations at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, which has a security staff of more than 125 employees. In that position, Thalhamer not only planned staffing for day-to-day security posts and special events, but also crafted policies, developed training, audited security systems and processes and served as a project manager for administrative initiatives and security upgrades. In his earlier career path, he served as a cavalry scout in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division. Thalhamer has a bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in Middle Eastern studies from California State University, Chico, and an associate’s degree in sociology from Butte College, Oroville, California.