Lower than every week after she was terminated “for trigger” from her function because the director and CEO of the Philadelphia Artwork Museum (PhAM) in an electronic mail, Alexandra “Sasha” Suda has filed a lawsuit towards the museum right now, November 10, alleging illegal termination and a number of violations of her employment settlement. Suda’s swimsuit got here to gentle hours after the Philadelphia Inquirer confirmed that PhAM’s government committee of trustees commissioned an exterior investigation that advisable her departure from the museum.
Reviewed by Hyperallergic, the lawsuit alleges {that a} “small, corrupt faction of the Board” orchestrated the “sham investigation” and demanded her resignation. Suda says that her “for trigger” termination was issued “with out legitimate foundation,” alleging that she was dismissed whereas negotiating the phrases of her departure as a result of she refused to signal an settlement with PhAM that will not solely “would enable the Museum’s officers and brokers to disparage [her], whereas [she] can be prohibited from discussing her departure publicly or defend[ing] her fame,” but additionally solely afford her six months of severance pay versus the 2 years promised in her five-year contract.
Suda has requested a jury trial, aiming to recoup the 2 years of severance along with damages and different aid. Nevertheless, as outlined within the swimsuit, essentially the most urgent side of her termination is that the museum had reportedly proposed to offer Suda, a Canadian citizen, together with her six-month severance package deal in January, thus leaving her with no official supply of revenue to qualify for a Inexperienced Card in gentle of her previous scheduled interview. The criticism notes that Suda would have “60 days to exit the nation the place she resides together with her household and the place her kids attend elementary faculty.”
“The Artwork Museum is conscious of the just lately filed criticism towards the museum, and we consider it’s with out advantage,” a PhAM spokesperson shared in an electronic mail with Hyperallergic, noting that the museum is not going to be commenting additional in the mean time. Suda’s authorized workforce didn’t instantly reply to Hyperallergic‘s extra inquiries.
The lawsuit outlines that whereas Suda labored towards the purpose of massively remodeling the museum’s tradition, programming, and monetary well being since 2022, she says she was met with board resistance and interference at practically each step of the best way — primarily via then Board Chair Leslie Anne Miller, present Board Chair Ellen Caplan, and Vice Chair Osagie Imasogie. [Miller and Caplan could not be reached for comment; Imasogie has not yet replied to Hyperallergic‘s request for comment]
Regardless of the difficulties Suda mentions, the swimsuit highlights that she decreased the museum’s deficit by two-thirds; oversaw the museum bringing in practically $17 million in Fiscal Yr 2025; organized profitable variety programming and initiatives, together with the event of the museum’s Brind Middle for African and African Diasporic Artwork; and revitalized PhAM’s total attendance and its reference to the town’s faculties, amongst different achievements. It’s additionally famous that Suda selected to waive her annual 3% increase in her first yr to assist alleviate the museum’s deficit.
All through the reported successes, nevertheless, Suda additionally alleges within the swimsuit how Miller typically undermined her function by excluding her from negotiations, making unauthorized monetary and personnel selections, and “verbally abusing [her] in entrance of employees.” After Miller’s exit as board chair, Caplan’s appointment was allegedly as problematic for Suda, with Caplan contemplating majority approval of Suda as equal to minority dissent, reportedly disparaging museum employees in a single occasion, and refusing to conduct investigations into employees complaints towards board members with whom she maintained shut private relationships.
Suda additionally recollects within the swimsuit that in a one-to-one lunch concerning the board chairs, Vice Chair Imasogie allegedly informed her “that the truth that you’ll be able to’t work with [Miller or Caplan] seems to be dangerous on you,” and to “simply know that if someone stays, it’s going to be [Caplan].”
Within the months main as much as Suda’s termination, she alleges that Caplan orchestrated a biased evaluate of her management in addition to a “secret assembly” with the manager committee of trustees to take a vote of confidence behind her again. When there was an 8-2 majority vote of confidence, Caplan reportedly pivoted to characterize Suda’s permitted spending as utilizing museum funds for private acquire and cited Suda’s annual 3% cost-of-living increase permitted by the museum’s CFO — roughly $39,000 over two years, contemplating Suda’s waiver in her first yr — as proof of Suda prioritizing herself over the museum.
After these allegations transpired, the museum reportedly employed the exterior legislation agency to conduct its “forensic investigation” into Suda’s journey and different bills. “Regardless of discovering no precise misconduct, the legislation agency falsely characterised Suda as financially irresponsible and advisable that she be given the chance to resign,” the lawsuit claims.
Per the criticism, Caplan subsequently staged a second vote of confidence with the manager committee that yielded flipped outcomes — 8-2 vote in favor of Suda’s termination. Afterwards, Suda’s refusal to log off on the museum’s up to date severance and non-disparagement phrases for her resignation resulted in her dismissal.
“Suda seeks to carry the Museum accountable for its dangerous religion, its illegal termination, and its deliberate effort to destroy her profession and fame,” the swimsuit reiterates.
