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William Paterson University in Wayne has announced the appointment of two new arts administrators.
Dr. Ellen Hoobler, an internationally recognized specialist in the ancient art of the Americas and its historiography, has been named director of the William Paterson University Galleries. In addition, Dr. Wenhong Luo, who has more than a decade of experience as a curator, museum anthropologist, and arts program director, has been appointed director of the Center for Chinese Art (CCART).
“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Hoobler and Dr. Luo. They bring critical expertise and experiences that will further advance the missions of their respective divisions,” says Wartyna Davis, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences.
The University Galleries and the Center for Chinese Art serve as places of exploration and engagement for William Paterson University students, faculty, staff, collaborators, and the community. The Galleries present exhibitions of contemporary art, oversee the University’s art collections, and offer educational programs. The Center for Chinese Art is dedicated to the study, presentation, and interpretation of Chinese art across historical, material, and contemporary contexts, with a strong emphasis on research, exhibitions, teaching, and public engagement.
Hoobler previously served as the William B. Ziff, Jr., Curator of Art of the Americas at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, where she built a distinguished record of curatorial excellence, scholarly leadership, and community engagement from 2017 to 2026. Her work significantly expanded public access to and understanding of the art of the ancient Americas, while strengthening institutional relationships with diverse audiences across the Baltimore region.
Prior to joining the Walters Art Museum, Hoobler was an assistant professor of art history at Cornell College; she also has held teaching appointments at Columbia University and the University of Puget Sound. Hoobler is the co-editor, with Dr. Victoria Lyall of Collecting the “Other Americas”: Ancient Americas Collections in Art Museums (Denver Art Museum, 2025) and is the author and co-editor of numerous essays and volumes examining collecting practices, museum display, and the role of art in cultural diplomacy between the United States and Mexico. She is known for her deep professional and personal engagement with Oaxaca, where she co-founded an arts-focused cultural tour enterprise centered on the region’s folk and fine art, architecture, and archaeology.
Hoobler holds a PhD in art history and archaeology from Columbia University and a bachelor of arts degree in Latin American studies from Wellesley College.
Luo, who has a strong record in curatorial leadership, exhibition planning, and cross-cultural collaboration, previously served as the director of folklife and community engagement at the Sandy Spring Museum, a community museum in Sandy Spring, Maryland, where she collaborated with diverse communities to co-curate exhibitions, performances, and public programs that celebrate and sustain cultural heritage.
She has held curatorial positions at institutions such as Yunnan Nationalities Museum, in Kunming, China, where she has worked extensively with minority ethnic communities to create exhibitions and programs that amplify underrepresented voices. Her work spans the breadth of Chinese art history—from early archaeological artifacts to contemporary folk and minority arts—and has resulted in major exhibitions that explore the dynamic dialogue between tradition and innovation in East Asian art.
Luo holds a doctorate in archaeology and museology from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and a master’s degree in anthropology from Renmin University in Beijing, China. She is fluent in Mandarin and English.
