Butler Art Museum Names Associate Director

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Amy Craft Klassen has been named associate director of The Butler Institute of American Art.

Klassen, who was unanimously approved by the museum’s board of trustees, will play a key role in the daily operation of the museum. She will be responsible for the museum’s primary administrative duties in conjunction with Louis A. Zona, executive director.

The move will allow Zona to continue his focus on donor relations, museum exhibitions, art educational programs and community outreach, according to a press release from the museum.

Zona has been executive director of The Butler since 1981.

Klassen joined The Butler as director of museum operations in 2024 on the recommendation of Zona. She has decades of experience in museum management, most recently serving as executive director of The St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum in St. Augustine, Fla.

The Butler Institute of American Art was founded by Joseph G. Butler Jr. in 1919. It was the first structure built to house a collection of strictly American works.