Welcome Le Monte Booker 

incoming President and CEO

Newfields, a 152-acre cultural institution in Indianapolis known as A Place for Nature & the Arts, announced today its Board of Trustees has confirmed Le Monte G. Booker, Sr. as the new President and Chief Executive Officer of Newfields, Indianapolis’ premier destination for arts, culture and nature. Booker will officially assume his duties as President and CEO in late October 2024.

Booker most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois. In this role, his primary responsibilities included finance, protection services and facilities planning and operations. He additionally oversaw accounting, strategic financial planning, grants administration, endowment investments, tax-exempt debt compliance and major institutional construction projects. During his time at the Field Museum, he briefly served as the President and CEO and has also overseen human resources, retail, restaurant, special events, group sales, vending and business development. In 2023, Booker was one of the not-for-profit finalists for ”CFO of the Year” by Financial Executives International Chicago.

"I am thrilled to start my next chapter as the CEO of Newfields, which is an outstanding example of a cornerstone cultural institution in the unique position of having both a world-class art collection as well as important gardens and historic homes,” said incoming Newfields President and CEO Le Monte Booker. “I look forward to working with the Board, staff and Central Indiana community to continue to meet the mission of enriching lives through exceptional experiences with art and nature at this special institution.”

Previously, Booker held several senior management positions at large not-for-profit organizations including CFO for Easter Seals national office, the American Academy of Pediatrics and a succession of positions at the Uhlich Children’s Advantage Network.

A graduate of DePaul University and the Keller Graduate School of Management with a master's in business administration, Booker has served as a member of the Board of Directors for the CPA Endowment Fund, Asian Human Services and President of the CFO Roundtable of Chicago.

“Mr. Booker possesses the right mindset, temperament, aptitude and leadership skills needed for this role. Mr. Booker stood out not only for meeting all of our initial search criteria, but also for bringing fresh perspectives we hadn’t previously considered to the process.” said the Chair of Newfields Board of Trustees, Darrianne Christian. His extensive museum experience gives him a comprehensive understanding of how institutions like Newfields need to operate to
thrive. He has a solid track record of strategically maximizing value for all stakeholders in a thoughtful and inclusive manner.”

"Mr. Booker emerged as a clear frontrunner in our national search — an inspirational and collaborative leader with two decades of experience in the not-for-profit and museum sectors. His visionary approach, coupled with his operational skills and his trusted presence as an ambassador, makes him an exceptional fit for Newfields and the Indianapolis community," said Anne Sellers, Chair of the Search Committee. "His peers and colleagues consistently describe him as thoughtful, pragmatic and unwavering in his integrity. We are thrilled to welcome him to our team."

In his spare time, Booker enjoys mentoring underprivileged youths and young adults, hiking in Starved Rock State Park in Illinois, weightlifting, basketball and reading.

With the transition to a new full-time President and CEO, Interim President and CEO Michael Kubacki will be stepping aside.

“On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to our Interim President and CEO, Michael Kubacki for his tremendous efforts over the past eight months. We are thankful for his steady and kind leadership throughout this transition,” said Darrianne Christian.

During Kubacki’s tenure, Newfields continued to thrive and hosted several flagship, unique experiences bringing our entire campus to life including: the debut of THE LUME Indianapolis featuring Dalí Alive; the revitalization of The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park for the first time in 10 years with Home Again; hosting a New Year’s fundraising marquee event, Midnight, and attracting visitors from across the nation for Total Eclipse of the Art to celebrate the Great American Total Solar Eclipse of 2024.

Booker’s selection is the culmination of a national search led by Koya Partners, a Diversified Search Group company, with expertise in senior executive leadership placements for not-for-profit, mission-driven organizations. They worked directly with a Search Committee appointed by the Board of Trustees to review and assess over 200 applications for the role before conducting interviews with finalists. Internal and external input on the role – including from staff, docents, volunteers and members of Newfields – was solicited and considered by Koya Partners and the Search Committee as they recruited and reviewed applicants.