WASHINGTON (Azat TV) – The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art announced on October 21, 2026, the appointment of Allison Fleming Chance as its new chief advancement officer (CAO). ArtDaily reported that Chance returns to the Smithsonian institution from the U.S. Soccer Federation, where she served as vice president of individual giving. The leadership transition comes as the museum works to accelerate its philanthropic strategy and expand financial support for major institutional initiatives.
In her new role, Chance will direct the museum’s advancement team and oversee individual giving, institutional support, membership programs, major gifts, and ongoing campaign operations. Her arrival coincides with the execution phase of the National Museum of Asian Art’s Second Century Campaign, an initiative aimed at strengthening the institution’s global role in interpreting Asian arts and cultures and their intersection with American society.
Career Background and Smithsonian Return
Chance brings more than two decades of cultural fundraising and executive leadership experience to the position. Her previous tenure at the Smithsonian includes working as a major gifts officer from 2012 to 2015 within the institution’s central advancement office during its $1.5 billion comprehensive campaign. During that period, she also chaired a collaborative initiative that united advancement leaders across Smithsonian museums, research facilities, and the National Zoo to align cross-institutional fundraising strategy and share best practices.
Before rejoining the Smithsonian, Chance spent time at the U.S. Soccer Federation, where she designed and executed a giving strategy tied to a $250 million campaign. According to ArtDaily, she established the organization’s first individual giving team, built new operational infrastructure, and more than doubled annual individual giving revenue and active donor households through creative engagement programs.
Institutional Context and Museum Leadership
Chance’s museum sector experience also includes serving as deputy director and chief development officer at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, where she restructured development programs to produce more than $17 million annually in contributed revenue. Her earlier career involved advancement positions at the Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, and The Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.
Chase F. Robinson, director of the National Museum of Asian Art, emphasized the strategic timing of the appointment. Robinson noted that Chance’s comprehensive advancement background and familiarity with Smithsonian funding priorities will support team development and perspective alignment as the museum enters its second century of operation on the National Mall.
Philanthropic Objectives and the Second Century Campaign
The National Museum of Asian Art’s Second Century Campaign operates as a component of the broader Smithsonian Campaign for Our Shared Future. The funding initiative supports expanded virtual programming for cross-cultural connections, specialized training programs for emerging scholars, and public exhibitions that honor Asian cultural heritage.
Reflecting on her return, Chance stated that her career has come full circle and that she was drawn back to the institution by its ongoing commitment to engaging local and global audiences. She holds a bachelor’s degree in art history from the University of Memphis and completed continuing professional education in nonprofit fiscal management at George Washington University.