Thomas C. Buhl, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Detroit Historical
Society, announced today that Elana Sullivan has been named Executive Director and CEO of
the Detroit Historical Society after an exhaustive search. She assumes responsibility for the
overall strategic direction, management and operations of the Detroit Historical Museum in
Midtown, the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle Isle and the Collections Resource Center,
home to the city’s collection of more than 250,000 historic artifacts, effective July 9, 2018,
when longtime CEO Bob Bury steps down. Sullivan most recently served as Chief
Advancement Officer for Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, Michigan and has spent
her entire 28-year career in the nonprofit arena.
“I am honored and incredibly excited to have been selected as the Society’s next CEO.
Detroit and its history are worthy of being celebrated, something the Detroit Historical Society
has done so well for nearly a century. This is a remarkable time of growth in our city, and I am
proud to have the chance to be part of it”
