MOCA Appoints Jonathan Abbott as CEO and Maurice Marciano Director

The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) announced that its Board of Trustees has appointed Jonathan Abbott as CEO and Maurice Marciano Director, effective September 24, 2026, following an extensive international search.

Abbott arrives at MOCA after fifteen years leading GBH, the nation's largest producer of multiplatform content for PBS, where he served as President and CEO. According to MOCA's announcement, the organization's assets grew from roughly $225 million to $1 billion during his tenure, and he spearheaded a $215 million fundraising campaign — figures that, for now, rest solely on the museum's own account.

Board Chair Carolyn Clark Powers praised Abbott as 'a builder of mission-driven institutions and a deeply collaborative leader.' In his own remarks, Abbott emphasized that MOCA 'has always stood for the power of contemporary art to challenge assumptions,' signaling his intent to work closely with the museum's curatorial team.

He succeeds Ann Goldstein, who has served as Interim Director since August 2025 and will remain at MOCA through November as CEO and Director Advisor to support the transition. Goldstein's history with the institution dates back to 1983, when she began her career there; she went on to spend 26 years at MOCA before taking on leadership roles including Director of the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam and Deputy Director at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Abbott holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a bachelor's degree in political science from Columbia University.