NEW YORK, July 2, 2025 – Dennis Paustenbach, Chief Scientist in Risk Assessment at TRC, and Rodney Beard, an attorney and business strategist who is Partner and General Counsel of Lumiere LLC, were recently elected to the American Folk Art Museum’s Board of Trustees following a unanimous vote during its most recent meeting in June.
As chief scientist in risk assessment at TRC, a global leader specializing in addressing environmental challenges faced by the government and private sector, Dennis Paustenbach is a recognized expert in environmental engineering and the health sciences, including toxicology and pharmacology. For nearly 50 years, Paustenbach has been a passionate collector of historic American furniture and folk art and has been involved with AFAM as a patron and supporter for 30 years. A dedicated and committed fundraiser, Paustenbach has played a pivotal role in major capital campaigns on behalf of leading educational and cultural institutions, including Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, CA), Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton, CA), the University of Michigan, Purdue University, Peninsula Bridge, The Shakers of Sabbathday Lake, and the Enfield Shaker Community. He is based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
Rodney Beard is a legal and business executive with more than 20 years of experience advising entrepreneurs, executives, and growing enterprises. As a partner and general counsel at Lumiere LLC, an investment design firm specializing in bespoke financial structures, Beard leads the firm’s legal oversight and interfaces directly with external counsel to ensure clarity and compliance across complex transactions. In addition to his legal work, Rodney is a dedicated patron of the performing and visual arts, with a particular appreciation for folk and self-taught art and art by African American artists. Beard is originally from Louisiana, resides in Houston, Texas, and is spending more time on business affairs in Washington D.C.
Elizabeth V. Warren, President of the Board of Trustees, commented: “As we continue our efforts to diversify and expand the Board with Trustees with more members from across the country, we are thrilled to welcome Rodney’s and Dennis’s unique perspectives and backgrounds, as well as their exceptional leadership skills and enthusiasm for the American Folk Art Museum, to the Board.”
Jason T. Busch, Becky and Bob Alexander Director & CEO, stated: “Dennis and Rodney are both passionate advocates for the arts, with a dedicated track record supporting AFAM and other cultural institutions. With decades of executive and organizational expertise between them, Rodney and Dennis will be valuable assets to the Museum’s fundraising and outreach.”
Dennis Paustenbach added: “For decades, I have been a supporter of all the Museum does and could not be happier to be joining such a lively and engaged Board of Trustees who are equally committed to forging the future of the American Folk Art Museum.”
Rodney Beard stated: “The American Folk Art Museum holds a privileged place within this country’s cultural landscape, and I am excited to join the Board of Trustees during such a pivotal time for the Museum.”
Dennis Paustenbach received his BSChE from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, his MS in toxicology and industrial hygiene from the University of Michigan, and his PhD from Purdue University in the same field. Prior to joining TRC, he was the CEO of Paustenbach and Associates, a risk assessment consulting firm which was acquired by TRC, and held various management positions in firms specializing in environmental engineering and the health sciences, including toxicology and pharmacology. Paustenbach has maintained an active presence in academia and applied research. He has published more than 300 peer reviewed scientific papers and three editions of a textbook on environmental risk assessment and has also been an adjunct professor at six universities.
Rodney Beard holds LL.M. degrees in Intellectual Property and Information Law and in Health Law from the University of Houston Law Center and a Juris Doctor from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.
About the American Folk Art Museum
Founded in 1961, the American Folk Art Museum is a global leader dedicated to the preservation and promotion of folk and self-taught art across time and place. Candid, genuine, and unexpected, the Museum celebrates the creativity of individuals whose singular talents have been refined largely through personal experience rather than formal artistic training. With a collection spanning 7,500 works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent, the American Folk Art Museum engages people of all backgrounds through its collections, exhibitions, publications, and public programs as the leading forum shaping the understanding and appreciation of folk and self-taught art. Thanks to the generous support of our members, patrons, and donors, admission to the Museum is always free. In 2025, AFAM was voted #1 in Newsweek’s Best Art Museum readers’ choice poll.