Atheneum Taps Leslie Malcolm As Interim Executive Director

The Nantucket Atheneum Board of Trustees announced Friday morning that they have appointed Leslie Malcolm as their interim executive director. The move will be effective May 1st, 2025.

“Leslie Malcolm is the perfect person to lead the Atheneum during this transition period," Sam Flax, the board’s chair, said in a release. “Her experience will help ensure continued excellence in the Atheneum’s library services and programs for the Nantucket community.”

Malcolm currently serves as the head of the Atheneum’s Weezie Library for Children, a role she has held since 2011. She brings almost three decades of experience to her new role at the Atheneum and deep roots within the Nantucket community.

Malcolm joined the Atheneum staff in 2011 after years of service and involvement with the institution. She is a native of Summit, New Jersey and moved to Nantucket in 1994. She began volunteering at the Atheneum in 1998. She joined the Board of Trustees the following year, and that experience inspired her to pursue a career in librarianship.

Malcolm holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from Randolph College and a master’s degree in library and information science from Simmons College. Prior to her move to Nantucket, she worked at the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

"I am honored to accept this new role and to have the opportunity to contribute to the continued success of our team and the Atheneum," Malcolm said. “I look forward to working closely with our staff, board members, and the wider community in the months ahead.”