ROCKLAND — Seven new members were elected to the Board of Trustees of Farnsworth Art Museum during the museum's July 24, 2026, Board of Trustees meeting regarding 2026–2027.

New members are Stephen Langlois, Leah Popowich, Peter Rothschild, Leslie Rylee, Meredith Sadler, Ron Stern, and Norbert W. Young Jr.  

Jim Rowan, a board member since 2022, was elected president of the Board. 

Representing a broad range of expertise in business, higher education, law, architecture, design, landscape architecture, and philanthropy, the new trustees bring decades of leadership experience and a shared commitment to advancing the Farnsworth’s mission of celebrating Maine’s role in American art, according to the Farnsworth, in a news release.

“We are delighted to welcome this exceptional group of leaders to the Board of Trustees,” said Christopher J. Brownawell, executive director of the Farnsworth Art Museum. “Each brings unique professional expertise, thoughtful leadership, and a deep appreciation for the arts. Their perspectives and dedication will help guide the museum as we continue to grow our impact, expand access to our collections and programs, and strengthen the Farnsworth’s role as one of Maine’s premier cultural institutions.”

New Trustees and President

Stephen Langlois is Managing Principal of Seaport Consulting Partners and a seasoned financial services executive with extensive leadership experience at Kestra Financial, Fidelity Investments, eMoney Advisor, LPL Financial, and Bain & Company. A graduate of Colby College and Dartmouth College’s Tuck School of Business, Langlois serves on the boards of several fintech companies and Lincoln Investment Planning. He and his wife divide their time between Boston and Nantucket.

Leah Popowich serves as Senior Advisor to the President and Associate Vice President in the Office of the President at the University of Pennsylvania, where she leads strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and presidential initiatives. A University of Pennsylvania graduate with a Master of Public Administration from Penn’s Fels Institute of Government, she also serves on the boards of Citizen Media Group and the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Peter Rothschild, FASLA, is a nationally recognized landscape architect and planner whose work has shaped many of the country’s most celebrated parks, campuses, waterfronts, and cultural landscapes, according to the news release. Co-founder of Quennell Rothschild & Partners, LLP, he has led transformative projects including the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, Hudson River Park, and Princeton University’s campus landscape plan. Rothschild has served on several boards, including the University of Oregon, serving as investment committee chair; The Maine Community Foundation, where he chaired the investment committee and subsequently served as the Chief Investment Officer; and the Maine Coast Heritage Trust. He is currently the Chair of the Select Board for Islesboro. Rothschild is a graduate of Harvard University and the University of Oregon and has received the University of Oregon’s Lawrence Medal, the institution’s highest alumni honor.

Jim Rowan is a partner at Parchman, Vaughan & Company in Baltimore and a seasoned finance executive with more than four decades of experience in corporate finance and investment banking. A graduate of Cornell University, where he earned both a bachelor’s degree in economics and an MBA in finance, Rowan previously held leadership roles at ITT Corporation, Legg Mason, and Stifel Nicolaus. He also serves on the board of Carpenters Boat Shop in Pemaquid, Maine. A lifelong connection to Maine began with his family’s purchase of a cottage in New Harbor in the 1960s, and he and his wife, Emily, have owned a home in South Bristol since 2000. They divide their time between Maine and Chevy Chase, Maryland, where they raised their two daughters and are now enjoying time with their four grandchildren.

Leslie Rylee is an interior designer whose lifelong connection to Maine began when her family rented Winslow Homer’s studio at Prouts Neck. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she built a successful design practice with projects throughout New York City, Connecticut, and Maine. Now retired, she divides her time between New York City and Prouts Neck, where she has spent every summer for more than four decades.

Meredith Sadler brings extensive experience in finance, public service, philanthropy, and community leadership to the Farnsworth board. She began her career in Washington, D.C., working for U.S. Representatives John J. Rhodes, then House Minority Leader, and Olympia Snowe. She later joined First Boston Corporation in New York, where she spent eight years in public finance and money market sales and trading, ultimately serving as Vice President. She also served as Major Gifts Officer at the Port Chester Carver Center in New York. Sadler earned a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University and an MBA in Finance from Columbia University Graduate School of Business. A longtime community volunteer, she has held leadership and board positions with numerous nonprofit and civic organizations in Maine, Florida, and Connecticut, with a particular emphasis on education, community development, and philanthropy.

Ron Stern rejoins the Farnsworth Board after previously serving from 2015 through 2025, including terms as Board Secretary and Chair of the Governance Committee. Following a distinguished 40-year legal career in Washington, D.C., including roles at the AAG for the Criminal Division of Justice and General Electric, Stern now spends much of the year in Owls Head, Maine, where he has been an active supporter of the museum and the Midcoast community.

Norbert W. Young Jr., FAIA Emeritus, is Managing Director of Duck Cove Associates, LLC, and has more than 45 years of leadership in the architecture, construction, and design industries. His career includes serving as president of McGraw-Hill Construction and partner at Lehrer, LLC. A Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, having graduated with a Masters of Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, Young is Maine born and bred and a graduate of Bowdoin College. He has served on numerous national boards and remains active in preservation, art related and community planning efforts now living full time in Bernard, Mount Desert Island.
 

The Farnsworth Art Museum’s Board of Trustees provides strategic leadership and governance for the museum, supporting its mission to celebrate Maine’s internationally recognized role in American art through exceptional collections, exhibitions, and educational programs.

"The addition of these accomplished leaders reflects the museum’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful stewardship and continued growth," said the Farnsworth.

Located in Rockland, the Art Capital of Maine, the Farnsworth Art Museum is the only museum dedicated to illuminating the rich, living history of Maine's influence on American art. Home to a nationally recognized collection of nearly 16,000 works spanning the 19th century to today, the Farnsworth celebrates artists who were born in Maine, inspired by its landscapes and communities, or whose work has shaped the state's enduring artistic legacy. Through world-class exhibitions, dynamic educational programs, historic sites, and meaningful partnerships, the museum inspires visitors from around the world to discover how Maine continues to shape American art. Named one of the finest small museums in the country by The Boston Globe, and the Best Museum in Maine by Down East Magazine, the Farnsworth welcomes visitors year-round as a cultural destination and a vital resource for lifelong learning. Learn more at farnsworthmuseum.org.