ICOM-CC / Getty Foundation: Connecting Professionals/Sharing Expertise

ICOM-CC / Getty Foundation

 Connecting Professionals/Sharing Expertise

21st ICOM-CC TRIENNIAL CONFERENCE

Oslo, Norway, 14-18 September 2026

2026 GRANT MENTORS 

For the occasion of the 2026 ICOM-CC Oslo Conference, the ICOM-CC / Getty Foundation grant Program is supporting four regionally-selected "past" Getty grant recipients as mentors who will contribute to this next group of grant recipients through their individual expertise, experiences and profesional paths. Since receiving their initial Getty grants, each mentor has continued to develop and excel in their regions and countries in the field of cultural heritage and beyond. Their presence at the Oslo Conference represents continuity, evolution and the positive development, since 1990, of the ICOM-CC / Getty grant inititaive.

Margarita Eugenia Villanueva - The Philippines

Lopez Museum and Library, Eugenio Lopez Foundation, Inc. 

Copenhagen 2017 – Beijing 2021 (virtual) – Valencia 2023

Margarita Villanueva is Assistant Director and Head of Conservation at the Lopez Museum and Library in Manila, Philippines, a center for Philippine art and history. She oversees conservation and collections management operations and programs, including preventive care, remedial projects in paintings, paper, and books, conservation research, and special projects. Her current research focuses on managing collection environments in tropical climates for storage and transit, and her special projects include the conservation requirements for the design and construction of storage facilities and collection spaces. From 2024-2026, Margarita has served as an ICOM-CC Assistant Coordinator of the Preventive Conservation working group. Margarita holds an MSc in Conservation (science pathway) from Cardiff University, a BSc in Materials Chemistry, and BA in Art History from the University of British Columbia.

 Adriana Isabel PAEZ CURE – Bogotá, Colombia      

Central Bank of Colombia

 Copenhagen 2017 – Beijing 2021 (virtual) – Valencia 2023

Adriana Paez Cure has been the Head of Conservation and Collections Management for the Arts and Numismatics Collections at the Central Bank of Colombia since 2009. Her primary interests involve fostering critical conversations regarding technical and institutional decision-making in museum conservation, as well as the documentation of collections for conservation and museum use in acquisitions, exhibitions, loans, and long-term preservation. Additionally, she is interested in promoting the material analysis of Colombian heritage and arts. Adriana holds a professional degree in conservation from Universidad Externado, an MA in Anthropology from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia, and an MSc in Conservation for Archaeology and Museums from University College London (UCL) in the UK. Her previous experience includes collections care and environmental monitoring at the Museo del Oro in Colombia, as well as internships in sculpture intervention at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Spain and objects conservation at the Museum of London in the UK.

   Ogechukwu Elizabeth OKPALANOZIE - Lagos, Nigeria  

National Commission for Museums and Monuments

Valencia 2023

 My name is Ogechukwu Elizabeth Okpalanozie, a conservator and an Assistant Director at National Commission for Museums and Monuments (National Museum, Lagos), Nigeria. I have a doctoral degree in Microbiology from University of Lagos, Nigeria, with a focus on the deterioration of tangible cultural heritage and a Master of Art in Heritage and Interpretation from University of Leicester, UK. My academic training, combined with practical experience, informs my work in the preservation, documentation, interpretation and sustainable management of cultural objects.
I have a strong interest in the evolving role of conservation as both a technical and ethical practice within diverse cultural contexts and in developing approaches that are responsive to local contexts and realities. These interests shape my research and ongoing engagement with issues surrounding the long-term care and interpretation of heritage.
I have also attended different local and international conferences and trainings and I belong to different professional bodies.

    Ahmad Nayef Hussein ABU-BAKER - Jordan 

Yarmouk University

Melbourne 2014– Copenhagen 2017 – Valencia 2023

Ahmad Abu-Baker is a full professor in the Department of Conservation and Management of Cultural Resources at Yarmouk University, Jordan. He holds degrees in Applied Chemistry (B.Sc.), Conservation and Management of Cultural Resources (M.A.), and Cultural Materials Conservation (Ph.D.). His teaching and research span the conservation of archaeological metals, archaeometallurgy, collections care and management, and cultural resources management. He currently serves as Vice Dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology, overseeing academic, administrative, and technical operations, including laboratories, the Museum of Jordanian Heritage, and the archaeological research station.
Prof. Abu-Baker is an active member of several professional organizations and contributes as a reviewer and guest editor for scientific journals and conferences. He is participating in the 21^st ICOM-CC Triennial Conference in Oslo to engage with current developments in conservation research and practice, build international collaborations, and transfer acquired knowledge to support the sustainable conservation of cultural heritage in Jordan.

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2026 Getty Foundation GRANT RECIPIENTS

 Abdullahi ABDULKADIR – Nigeria

 National Commission for Museums and Monuments Nigeria

I am Abdullahi ABDULKADIR and I work  as a conservator at National commission for museums and Monuments, Nigeria. My main role is the protection, preservation and conservation of the rock paintings, objects in galleries and storage, educational outreach, educational guide and management. I concentrate my efforts on fostering a community understanding and custodianship of our heritage sites. Presently, I am on special assignment in Gidan Makama museum, which is following up on preservation and restoration of the remaining Kano city wall site that is not encroached.
I work at national and international heritage sites across world as well as world heritage sites in Nigeria and Mexico.
I graduated from Bayero University Kano with BSc in Biochemistry in 2013 and went on to earn a Post Graduate Diploma in Chemistry in 2016 and obtained my master degree in (Organic chemistry). I have published on both bio-chemical issues as well as on paper conservation.
I have been an active member of ICOM/ICOM-CC since 2018.

Aida BICAKCIC - Bosnia and Herzegovina

City Museum of Sarajevo

Aida Bicakcic was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. She completed her studies in Art History in 2008 at the Faculty of Philosophy, the University of Sarajevo and is currently a PhD student in Art History, Cultural Heritage, and Visual Culture at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb (her dissertation topic is "Protection of Architectural Heritage in the People's Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1945 and 1960").
From 2009 to 2023, she held the position of advisor for movable heritage and later an art history advisor at the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During her work, she conducted numerous research works that led to the designation of cultural assets as national monuments of Bosnia and Herzegovina – including historical buildings, memorial architecture, and movable heritage from medieval manuscripts to modern painting.
Since April 2023, she has continued her career as the head of the Ars Aevi collection at the Museum of Contemporary Art under the umbrella of the City Museums of Sarajevo, and later as a curator of the City Museum of Sarajevo.

   María del Rosario CAMPUZANO SÁNCHEZ – México

                                                 National Museum of the Viceroyalty

María del Rosario Campuzano Sánchez holds a degree in Cultural Heritage Conservation from the Western School for Conservation and Restoration in Guadalajara, Mexico. She has treated a wide range of objects from Mexico's cultural heritage, including viceregal, modern and contemporary sculpture; viceregal painting, works on paper, Mayan funerary objects; and archeological ceramics.
Since 2019, Rosario has specialized in the conservation of viceregal paintings. She participated in the Miguel Cabrera Project, where she treated five large-format paintings from a series signed by the baroque painter Miguel Cabrera.
In 2023, she completed her thesis on Cristóbal de Villapando's use of color, conducting a scientific analysis on a signed painting by this baroque artist. Most recently, she completed a fellowship at the Dallas Museum of Art, supported by the Getty Conserving Canvas Grant, where she studied and treated a Cusco School painting using the thread-by-thread technique.

Ana Carolina DELGADO VIEIRA – Brazil

Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia

Ana Carolina Delgado Vieira holds a bachelor's and master's degree in history from the University of São Paulo and studied at the Yachaywasi Institute of Conservation in Lima, Peru. Since 2008, she has been a conservator at the Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia (MAE) of the University of São Paulo (USP), where she has served as Head of Conservation since 2013. Her work includes condition surveys, conservation treatments, and the preparation of objects for exhibition, loan, research, and storage. Her interests focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, Indigenous participation, and on how conservation can help reframe museums holding collections from Indigenous and world cultures, historically framed as ethnographic, through engagement with originating communities. She is Assistant Coordinator of the ICOM-CC Working Group Objects from Indigenous and World Cultures. She completed her PhD at IPEN–CNEN/SP (University of São Paulo), focusing on ionizing radiation for cultural heritage preservation.

               Maja FRANKOVIC – Serbia

                                                                                     National Museum of Serbia

Maja Frankovic is a conservation specialist with 20 years of experience in cultural heritage conservation, focusing on sustainable approaches integrating hands-on conservation, multidisciplinary research, and education. She holds an MA in conservation-restoration from the University of Arts in Belgrade and a PhD in geosciences from the University of Belgrade. She trained in mosaic conservation at the Musée départemental de l'Arles antique and attended ICCROM’s International Course on Stone Conservation.
She worked at the National Museum in Belgrade and the Central Institute for Conservation in Belgrade, where she led the Centre for Conservation–Restoration (2015–2021). Since 2021, she serves as Conservator Counsellor at the National Museum of Serbia.
Her experience includes over 25 mosaic and stone conservation projects, and she co-founded the SEE Mosaics Project, a regional platform for documentation, conservation, and professional networking in Southeast Europe. She has published and presented internationally, and is active in ICOM, ICOMOS, and ICCM.

 Jian LIU – China      

China National Silk Museum

Jian LIU is a senior researcher at the China National Silk Museum. He was the former head of the Department of Textile Conservation and is currently responsible for the Department of International Exchanges. He obtained a PhD in Applied Chemistry from Zhejiang University of Technology. His research concerns the identification of dyes and fibers in archaeological and historical textiles; in particular, he focuses on dye analysis of textiles discovered in archaeological sites along the Silk Road. The main topic of Dr. Liu’s research group is the development of analytical methods, such as HPLC-MS and SERS, applied to the scientific research of textile objects, which help preserve the colors of textile collections.
Dr. Liu has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications on dye analysis in academic journals, such as Journal of Archaeological Science, Dyes and Pigments, and Talanta. Since 2019, he has organized the Biennial International Conference on Natural Dyes in Hangzhou, PR China.

  Paula MATIZ - Colombia        

Universidad Externado de Colombia         

Paula Matiz holds a PhD in Management and Development of Cultural Heritage from IMT Institute for Advanced Studies Lucca (Italy). Master’s in World Heritage at Work from the International Training Centre of the ILO and the Polytechnic of Turin, in partnership with UNESCO and ICCROM, and postgraduate degree in Politics and International Affairs with Universidad Externado de Colombia, SIPA–Columbia University, and Sciences Po Paris. She has a degree in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Restoration from Universidad Externado de Colombia. Currently, she designs and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses, supervises research projects, and contributes to academic program development. Her research focuses on preventive conservation, risk management, and History and theory of conservation. She actively participates in publications, conferences, and collaborative projects with cultural institutions across South America.

 Evjeni MATO – Albania

Butrint Management Foundation: Parku Kombetar Butrint

Evjeni Mato is a cultural heritage professional from Albania with over 15 years of experience in archaeological conservation, site management, and the protection of cultural heritage assets. She currently serves as Conservation Manager at the Butrint World Heritage Site, where she leads conservation strategies, coordinates conservation and restoration projects, supervises on-site interventions and oversees long-term preservation planning.
Evjeni has extensive experience in hands-on conservation practice, site monitoring, preventive conservation, and the implementation of conservation and management projects, as well as institutional collaboration, having previously worked with national heritage institutions and local government. She was selected as a Visiting Researcher at the Getty Conservation Institute, where she conducted research on climate-related risks and vulnerability of archaeological sites.
Her professional interests focus on sustainable heritage management, climate change impacts on cultural heritage, and the conservation of archaeological sites. She is actively engaged in international research and knowledge exchange, contributing to the development of best practices in heritage conservation.

Lilian Amwanda OCHIENG    

National Museums of Kenya

Lilian Amwanda Ochieng is a Curator and Conservator Working with the National Museums of Kenya (NMK). She currently serves as the Team Leader at Kabarnet Museum, one of NMK’s regional museums in the Kenyan Great Rift valley. With over 17 years of experience, Lillian has worked across several key heritage institutions, including Nairobi Museum, Nairobi Gallery, Hyrax Hill Prehistoric Site, and Karen Blixen Museum, where she oversaw curatorial responsibilities and collection management.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Gender and Development and recently completed Master’s degree in Anthropology at Moi University, expected to graduate in December 2026. Lillian is a  2025 ICCROM  trainee  on Empowering Action Through collections based institutions,  2025  IIC –ITCC  conservation fellow, 2024 British Museum International Training Programme Fellow,  2023 ICOM Solidarity Project trainee in Risk Assessment, and 2023 Conservation leadership management Training sponsored by Getty Institute and IIC.
Her professional interests include preventive conservation, community engagement, Museum Security  and inclusive museum education for special interest groups. Lilian is Museum Risk assessment Trainer, she is  interested in research work on the role of women in heritage management. She has been recognized for her contributions in conservation  with the 2024 UK-based Marsh Award for Heritage Conservation in action category and the 2024 Explorers Award for her research on the role of women in cultural heritage conservation.
Lilian is a member of IIC (International Institute for Conservation), ICOM (International Council of Museums),  ICOM-CC and the Explorers Club.

 Maria Lourdes PO – The Philippines

Ayala Foundation

Maria Lourdes Po is the manager of Conservation and Preservation of Ayala Foundation in the Philippines, supporting its Arts and Culture Division.  She has worked as conservator for many years at the archdiocesan museum of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila, where she was responsible for the conservation and management of its collection, and provided technical assistance to parishes and institutions within the archdiocese of Manila under the Manila Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.  She is actively engaged with ICOM-CC as one of the Assistant Coordinators for the Textiles Working Group for the 2023-2026 triennium. 

 Deepakshi SHARMA – India          

 Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL)           

Deepakshi Sharma is an Archivist and Curator at the Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India Limited (DFCCIL), Ministry of Railways, India. She previously served extensively as a Museum Consultant at the National Rail Museum, New Delhi, where she led major training initiatives, including extensive online capacity-building programs on museum management and preservation. During her tenure at the museum, she also participated in the prestigious international course “Rethinking Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage Collections” (FAR-COLLASIA 2020–21) organized by ICCROM and its partners.
Dr. Sharma has been awarded multiple fellowships and grants, enabling her to undertake specialized technical work and present her research at renowned international conferences. Her academic contributions include 12 research papers and 2 posters published in respected national and international platforms.
At the global level, she has served as a Fellowship Committee Member for the International Institute for Conservation (IIC) and currently holds the position of Coordinator for the ICOM-CC Working Group on Sculpture, Polychromy, and Architectural Decoration. Through her work in conservation, documentation, and training, Dr. Sharma continues to advance the safeguarding and promotion of cultural heritage in India and beyond.

     Joseph SSEBUNGA – Uganda

       Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities

Joseph Ssebunya is a heritage professional with over 18 years of experience in museum education, heritage conservation, and community engagement. His work focuses on heritage risk assessment, promotion, and public programming, with a strong ability to craft compelling narratives and enhance visitor experiences. He currently serves as a Tourism Development Officer (Quality Assurance) with Uganda’s Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, and is the Emeritus Treasurer of the ICOM-Uganda National Committee. He is also leading a multidisciplinary team redeveloping the URA Tax Museum in Uganda into an interactive and educational space. Previously, as Assistant Curator at Kabale Regional Museum, he led re-curation efforts and exhibition redesign. He contributed to major projects including International Museum Day celebrations, the Goethe-Institut exhibition Facing Our Past: Rethinking Future Museums, and the Getty Foundation’s Keeping It Modern Project for Uganda Museum. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Nkumba University and has undertaken advanced international museum training.