James Kieselburg, Director

Museum Director and Curator James Kieselburg has been with the Museum since its founding, working previously with the museums of Beloit College, UW-Milwaukee, and Marquette University. He began at MSOE in 2006 as a museum consultant and was instrumental in establishing the permanent collection galleries and exhibition program. Assuming the role of director in 2011, he has since organized over 40 feature exhibitions, including the award-winning Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee (2019) and the nationally renowned Time of Toil and Triumph (2022). James most enjoys creating unique exhibitions, publications, and experiences to share with Museum patrons. He also takes a great deal of pride in the work of the Museum’s dynamic staff and MSOE's students.

Russ Piant, Collections & Exhibitions Manager 

Russ Piant has been a consistent part of the museum since its inception in 2007 and became the full time collections & exhibitions manager in 2013. He is responsible for overseeing the acquisition, preservation, and display of the museum's vast collection of artwork and materials, as well as the building overall.
Russ is known fostering a collaborative and engaging learning environment for his students, all while building a world-class museum experience. He takes pride in enabling his students to see things in a different way than they otherwise would inside of an engineering classroom.
His eye for detail and extensive knowledge of technical display allows him and his team to build exceptional exhibitions that captivate and educate visitors. If you’re not careful, they just might “trick you into learning something” while you’re here.

Marina Bernovich, Curator of Education and Outreach

As the Grohmann Museum’s curator of education, Marina Bernovich works in museum education—developing programming for groups of all ages and interests. She also maintains the Museum Archives, conducts and facilitates various research projects involving the museum, and helps develop exhibitions virtually and in the galleries.
Having graduated with a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Notre Dame in 2022, Marina views the collections of the museum from a historian’s perspective. She sees art as a historical record and that studying art is an exploration of material culture across time and geography.

MacKenna Krupa, Visitor Services Manager

MacKenna Krupa joined the museum in March 2022 and enjoys serving guests as the visitor services manager. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Community Arts and Minor in Art History at UW-Milwaukee. Throughout her studies she focused on arts education and outreach through internships and community projects. She is passionate about giving tours, planning events, and activating the stART lab in the museum’s lower level. MacKenna’s favorite experiences at the museum include collaborating with the STEM Center on STEAM programs and leading tours for diverse audiences including local schools, senior centers, and MSOE Regents.