International Documentary Association Names Arts Leader Dominic Asmall Willsdon As New Executive Director

deadline.com:

The International Documentary Association has appointed Dominic Asmall Willsdon, a veteran arts curator and educator, as its new executive director, effective January 8.

Willsdon, who has served for the past five years as executive director of the Institute for Contemporary Art at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, will take over from Ken Ikeda, the IDA’s interim director since January of this year.

Ikeda, in turn, replaced Rick Pérez, who resigned as executive director a year ago after a stormy tenure that saw much of the nonprofit’s staff exit. “An internationally renowned curator, educator and veteran nonprofit executive, Dominic Asmall Willsdon joins the documentary advocacy organization at a time of unique opportunity and impact unprecedented in its 41-year history,” a release from the IDA noted. “Following a year of significant progress, stabilization, and the groundbreaking ratification of its first collective bargaining agreement, Willsdon will be responsible for setting organizational strategies, with a focus on intentional advocacy efforts, expanding global reach, and deepening IDA’s commitment to a sustainable and equitable documentary ecosystem.” The release said Willsdon’s appointment capped a “comprehensive and rigorous national search,” and it noted that IDA staff were included in the process.  “Dominic’s ability to work fluidly with independent storytellers from around the globe, across disciplines and audiences, is an extraordinary skill,” IDA board co-presidents Grace Lee and Chris Perez said in a statement. “He’s really an educator at heart, someone who is deeply committed to sharing knowledge, access, and culture from all parts of society.