Mrs Susan A. Olde, OBE – Chairperson
Year Joined: 2005
Mrs Susan A. Olde, OBE, is a longtime philanthropist of, and advocate for, the arts and arts education in the Cayman Islands and beyond. She initially trained in the arts and worked as a designer and educator in Canada before moving to Cayman in 1993. Having supported National Gallery education programmes since 2000, she formally joined the Board of Directors in 2005. She was elected Chairperson in 2017 and has since led the organisation from strength to strength. Throughout this time Mrs. Olde, OBE, has continued to sit on various international arts boards, but focuses her resources on preserving the artistic heritage of the Cayman Islands, creating new opportunities for artists, and supporting the development of Caymanian youth in the arts.
Mrs Olde, OBE, was an early donor to the National Gallery Building Fund and the Susan A. Olde Art Studio is named in her honour. As Chairperson, she launched the Chairman’s Circle Initiative, a new tier of National Gallery membership, aimed at generating funds to support NGCI education and outreach programmes. She has made significant contributions to the development of the National Gallery Art Collection through the establishment of the NGCI Art Fund, as well as the development of the NGCI publications scheme, which highlights the permanent collection and provides a comprehensive history of art of the Cayman Islands. She is also the Founding Patron of Cayman Art Week, and has been awarded a Heritage Cross from the Cayman National Cultural Foundation for her contributions to the preservation of Caymanian heritage.
In recognition of her philanthropic efforts, Mrs. Olde, OBE, was honoured twice by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II: 2004 when she was named to the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her efforts in the Hurricane Ivan recovery, and in 2021 with a Certificate of Honour for her support during the COVID pandemic. The Cayman Islands Government also awarded her a National Heroes Award for her philanthropic work in 2023.
Subcommittee Involvement: Executive Committee; Governance Committee; Campus Steering Committee (and supporting all committees as NGCI Chairperson)