Hayley Haldeman will serve as the interim executive director of the Mattress Factory, beginning February 12. Haldeman currently sits on the museum’s Board of Directors, and will relinquish her position on the board, according to a press release.
“I am excited to work with the Mattress Factory and the community in this transition period,” Haldeman said in the release. “I look forward to engaging with its fantastic staff and appreciate the support of the Board of Directors. We all want the same thing: for this great institution to thrive.”
Outside of her work at the Mattress Factory, Haldeman is a lawyer at Jones Day. She married Representative Conor Lamb earlier this month.
Haldeman was unanimously appointed by the board, and will replace the current interim director, Judith O’Toole.
“I am very happy to have Hayley following my tenure as Interim Executive Director,” O’Toole said in the release. “She has supported our new initiatives and will be a strong leader. I know that she is passionate about the Mattress Factory and dedicated to its success. With strong ties to the art community, she possesses a unique skill set that makes her an ideal person to guide the museum into its next phase.”
O’Toole was appointed in October 2018, after executive director Michael Olijnyk was placed on temporary paid leave. The decision came after a group of current and former employees filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that museum management retaliated against employees who complained about the organization’s handling of sexual harassment, assault and rape by a former male employee.
Haldeman was on the board when the events that led to the NLRB complaint transpired. She wouldn’t comment on whether being a board member during that time would be problematic as she transitioned into the role of interim executive director, and instead directed the question to O’Toole.
O’Toole couldn’t definitively say what the board knew before she was appointed interim executive director, but that Haldeman wants to be a positive force at the museum and follow all the recommendations from the NLRB.
“She does have a commitment to the Mattress Factory,” O’Toole said. “She believes in its mission, and she also believes it needs to change in order to succeed.”
O’Toole said Haldeman will serve as interim executive director until the position is permanently filled.
The NLRB complaint was filed after WESA reported on the organization’s handling of sexual misconduct.
