Anne Chafe, CEO of The Rooms, will retire in May after nearly two decades in leadership roles at the prominent museum and art gallery in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Chafe stepped in as interim CEO in July 2019 and secured the permanent position in June 2020, almost a year after the provincial government dismissed former CEO Dean Brinton without public explanation.
Key Achievements During Her Tenure
Under Chafe’s leadership, The Rooms unveiled three significant permanent exhibitions:
- Here We Made a Home in the Elinor Gill Ratcliffe Gallery;
- From This Place: Our Lives on Land and Sea in the Cenovus Energy Gallery;
- Beaumont-Hamel and the Trail of the Caribou: Newfoundlanders and Labradorians Overseas and at Home, 1918–1949 in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment Gallery.
These initiatives highlight her commitment to preserving and showcasing provincial history and culture.
Official Recognition and Transition Plans
Tourism Minister Andrea Barbour commended Chafe as a “thoughtful steward of one of the province’s most important public institutions.” Chafe successfully navigated the organization through substantial transitions during her time at the helm.
Margaret Allan, chair of The Rooms board of directors, emphasized Chafe’s enduring impact, stating, “Her contributions to the organization are immeasurable.”
The tourism department will collaborate with The Rooms board and the Independent Appointments Commission to identify and appoint a successor.
