Former Philadelphia Museum of Art Director Sasha Suda Sues Over Dismissal

Sasha Suda, former director and CEO of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, has filed a lawsuit against the institution following her termination last week, three years into a five-year contract. The suit, filed Monday in Pennsylvania State Court, alleges that a 'corrupt and unethical faction' of the board orchestrated her firing 'without a valid basis.' According to the lawsuit, a group of trustees hired a law firm to investigate Suda's compensation and expenses—already approved by the audit head—which found no misconduct but portrayed her as 'financially irresponsible' and recommended resignation. Suda seeks two years' severance and damages. Her 2023 compensation was approximately $760,000, per a 2024 tax return. Attorney Luke Nikas stated that a 'small cabal of trustees commissioned a sham investigation' to create a pretext for termination, adding that Suda believed in a museum serving Philadelphia, not trustee egos. Anonymous trustees claimed the dismissal stemmed from a power struggle over Suda's perceived inexperience. Suda joined the museum in 2022 after serving as the youngest director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa.