Oceanside Museum of Art Welcomes Daniel Foster as New Executive Director

Daniel Foster starts his position as OMA's third Executive Director today. Considering Fosters proven track record as a leader for arts and culture in Southern California, the community has expressed overwhelming support for the Board of Trustees decision. In discussing his excitement for the position Foster says, “OMA clearly has an outstanding history of growth and success achieved by so many dedicated individuals over the museum’s 17 years, and I believe OMA is very strongly positioned for an even brighter future.  One can certainly feel the high level of talent, energy and passion at the core of OMA, and I am totally compelled to be a part of it and the San Diego regional arts community that I left nine years ago.”

Foster comes to OMA with a strong and proven career in arts, museum and nonprofit executive management and fundraising.  Over the past nine years, Foster has raised well over $25 million and has become recognized nationally for his leadership in the fields of art and philanthropy.  He will be leaving his position as President/CEO of The Community Foundation serving Riverside & San Bernardino Counties, where he oversees one of the largest nonprofit philanthropic foundations in the Inland Empire. 

During his nearly four years at TCF, Foster has initiated and grown many important regional leadership initiatives focused on philanthropic/nonprofit capacity building, youth philanthropy, education, environment, and arts & culture.  This year Foster has led a comprehensive two-year effort to design, fundraise, and launch a new nonprofit arts council for San Bernardino County.  Foster leaves the 70-year-old foundation with a 2011 record-breaking year in fundraising, doubled staff from 7 to 14, and tremendously increased visibility and prominence throughout the two counties.

Before becoming President/CEO of the Community Foundation, Foster was the Executive Director of the Riverside Art Museum from 2003-2009.  During his museum tenure, Foster was widely regarded as a critical “change agent” leader for arts & culture in the region and an important catalyst for establishing the city of Riverside as the “City of Arts & Innovation.”

In 2008, Foster received the Outstanding Nonprofit Executive Director Award from the Agency Executives Association for Riverside County.  Additionally, Foster was a finalist for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award that recognized his outstanding art museum leadership within the state of California.  Earlier in his career, Foster worked at the Headlands Center for the Arts (Sausalito, CA), University Art Gallery at UCSD, and the San Diego Art Institute.

Academically, Foster received a Master’s of Fine Arts with honors in New Genres and Painting/Sculpture from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1995, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurship/Business at the University of Southern California in 1988. Additionally, Foster has pursued three years of full-time studies in philosophy, science and studio art at the University of California, San Diego (Revelle College). 

If you would like to meet Daniel Foster, he will be at the Preview Reception of OMA's upcoming exhibitions Quilt National and Fiber Dialogues on Saturday, October 13 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The reception is complimentary for OMA members and press and $10 for nonmembers. To contact Daniel you can reach him at daniel@oma-online.org.