Jeannie W. Salomon is the Founder and Executive Director of the first AAPI History Museum in the United States. After launching the AAPI Mobile History Museum statewide, she realized her vision with the grand opening of the nation’s and world’s first brick and mortar AAPI History Museum on March 26, 2025.

Since its opening, the Museum has welcomed teachers, students, community groups, and public officials, making AAPI history visible and teachable across Rhode Island while drawing visitors from other states eager to see these stories represented for the first time. Amid a challenging funding climate, Jeannie has sustained the Museum through strategic partnerships, disciplined operations, and a volunteer team that ensures public access five days a week.

In 2025, she also seated an all women, all AAPI Board of Directors and Advisory Council, reflecting her commitment to cultivating the next generation of leaders. She is advancing a city level vision with Providence to create a shared cultural hub alongside Latinx, African American, Cape Verdean, and Native American partners, while leading the Museum’s role in the RI 250 Commission to ensure AAPI stories stand at the forefront of the nation’s 250th anniversary.

Guided by a succession plan and a community first ethos, Jeannie is building an enduring institution rooted in rigorous public humanities, cross community collaboration, and the conviction that a fuller understanding of American history strengthens civic belonging. She continues to expand the Museum with new exhibits that reflect the depth and diversity of AAPI experiences.