An art historian and educator, Cormier has spent her career working at several important art museums and historic houses in CT, including the Wadsworth Atheneum and Connecticut Landmarks in Hartford; Hill-Stead Museum, in Farmington; and the New Britain Museum of American Art. She has served in senior management positions as educator and curator, directed or presented 1,000s of programs for visitors of all ages and backgrounds, and trained 100s of docents on the history of art as well as in best practices for engaging students and adults.
At the Stowe Center for Literary Activism, Cormier has directed several large capital improvement projects, overseeing the interior restoration of the National Historic Landmark Stowe House, including fire suppression and climate control systems upgrades, and the more recent exterior restoration of the former carriage house, now Visitor Center, along with site improvements, many of which make the Stowe Center more accessible to visitors of all abilities. She is currently the Director of Historic Buildings and Landscape and, in addition to overseeing the ongoing maintenance of the campus, will direct another large capital improvement project to restore the exterior of the Stowe and Day Houses, upgrade mechanical systems, improve accessibility, and make additional site improvements in a project called Harriet’s Backyard: From Private to Public.
Cormier received her MA in Art History, with a focus on American 19th and 20th-C art, from the UMASS and her BS in Business from the UCONN. She lives in West Hartford with her husband and when not visiting museums or attending cultural events, she enjoys working on her 100-year-old house and garden, time with family and friends, travelling, hiking, swimming, and reading.
