The Art Gallery of Ontario’s curator of European Art and chair of prints and drawings has been named as the next director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada.

The appointment of Alexandra Suda was announced by the Heritage Minister yesterday. He cited her exceptional talent saying she will lead the National Gallery with the highest standards, making Canadians proud of their national art institution.

Dr. Suda, who goes by the name Sasha, was born in Orillia and grew up in Toronto. She earned a PhD at New York’s Institute of Fine Arts and began her career at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan.

She joined the AGO in 2011. She begins her five-year term at the National Gallery in Ottawa in April.