The Walker Art Center named Olga Viso its new director effective January 2008. Viso, director of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, succeeds Kathy Halbreich whose 16 1/2-year tenure ends November 1st, 2008. As director of the Hirshhorn since 2005, Viso has headed one of the world¿s leading museums of international modern and contemporary art, whose collection includes artworks from the mid-19th century to the present. Viso has distinguished herself as a curator, scholar, and administrator at the Smithsonian and rose quickly to leadership at the Hirshhorn. She joined the curatorial department of the museum in 1995 as assistant curator, was named associate curator in 1998, and served as curator of contemporary art from 2000 to 2003. In October 2003, Viso was named deputy director of the Hirshhorn, working in the artistic direction, strategic planning, and daily management of the museum. She also played a key role in enlarging and reconstituting the museum¿s advisory board of trustees and revitalizing the vision for the nation¿s museum of modern and contemporary art. She was named the fourth director of the museum in September 2005.