Crystal Bridges and the Momentary announce new COO

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and its contemporary art and performance venue, the Momentary, in Bentonville, have promoted Lela Davidson to chief operating officer.

According to a news release Thursday (May 16), Davidson will manage all operations to “enhance the museums’ outreach, revenue, and reputation.”

Davidson joined Crystal Bridges in July 2023 as a business innovation officer, where she developed new commercial projects and partnerships for both the museum and the Momentary.

“Lela has twenty years of successful and innovative leadership in various industries,” said Rod Bigelow, executive director of Crystal Bridges and the Momentary. “Her commitment to our mission, combined with her strategic and operational skills, makes her perfect for this role as we prepare for our campus expansion in 2026.”

“I’m honored to take on this role,” Davidson said. “I share the values of this institution and look forward to leading our efforts to benefit visitors, stakeholders, partners, and colleagues.”

Before joining Crystal Bridges, Davidson was executive vice president at Saatchi & Saatchi X in Springdale, where she led marketing teams for major clients like Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola and Samsung.

Before that, she launched a media business (One Country Media) inside the venture-backed e-commerce retailer Country Outfitter.

Davidson began her career as a forensic litigation analyst and spent ten years as a CPA.