COURTESY JUDITH O’TOOLE
The Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh, which is currently facing scrutiny for its handling of sexual misconduct allegations, said today that it has tapped Judith O’Toole, the director emerita of the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, to be its acting director. Mary Navarro, an arts consultant, will serve as special adviser to O’Toole, and both will begin in their new posts immediately.
O’Toole has hired to temporarily fill a position held by Michael Olijnyk, who was planed on paid leave in September, following a WESA report that revealed that four female Mattress Factory employees had filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that the museum had retaliated or discriminated against employees who accused a coworker of sexual misconduct.
“I have long considered the Mattress Factory to be a vital part of the Pittsburgh cultural scene and a unique, artist-oriented institution on the international stage,” O’Toole said in a statement. “I believe in the ability of the arts to change people’s lives. I’ve witnessed the Mattress Factory do just that for more than 40 years. It’s an exceptional asset, and I’m eager to help further the museum’s mission.”