Ringling College of Art and Design has announced that Anne-Marie Russell, founding executive director and curator of the Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College, plans to step down on March 1, 2021. Russell joined Ringling College of Art and Design in 2015 and was the college’s first employee dedicated to the new museum, which opened in December 2019. The college will choose an executive search firm to conduct a national search for Russell's replacement; Ringling College trustee Dean Eisner, who serves as chair of the Museum Advisory Board, will chair the search committee, which will be comprised of members of the Museum Advisory Committee; Ringling College president Dr. Larry Thompson; and key college employees whose areas directly support the museum.