Dr. Alvia J. Wardlaw is the director and curator of the University Museum and professor of Art History at Texas Southern University. She is a leading national expert on African American art, and has been the director of the University Museum since its founding in 2000. Dr. Wardlaw has curated countless notable exhibitions, including “John Biggers: View from the Upper Room” and “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend.” She has also written and edited many published books and articles. Dr. Wardlaw served for over a decade on the Scholarly Advisory Committee for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture during the critical planning and implementation phases of the museum’s development. She is a member of the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame and recipient of the 2021 Art League of Houston lifetime achievement award.