UO professor emeritus Philip Piele has been elected president of the leadership council at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and will begin his two-year term this month.

Piele said he is looking forward to his role as the new president, adding that he believes the UO museum is one of the top  university arts museums in the country. Piele became a member of the leadership council, which oversees the museum’s artistic, education and financial goals, in 2012. Piele also was co-chair of the council’s development committee.

Piele has been involved with Eugene arts organizations since 1980. He served as executive director of the Eugene Opera board and was a member of the board of the Oregon Mozart players.

Among other positions, Piele was a faculty member at the UO from 1968 to 2005 and taught statistics and education courses. He also served as the head of the department of educational leadership, technology and administration.

―By Corinne Boyer, Public Affairs Communications intern