Metropolitan Museum of Art president Emily Rafferty, 63, will retire in spring 2015, after 11 years in the position and nearly 40 years at the New York museum. Rafferty began her career with the Met as a development department administrator in 1976. She served as vice president for development and membership and senior vice president for external affairs before being appointed president in 2005. She was the first woman to ever serve as a vice president at the Met.

In addition to her current presidential role, Rafferty serves on several boards of directors across New York City. She has been chairwoman for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York since 2012, chairwoman for the nonprofit NYC & Company, which promotes tourism in the city, since 2008. She has also served on the board of directors for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum since 2006. Rafferty received her BA from Boston University.

As president of the Met, Rafferty has charge of about 1,500 employees in 12 administrative departments. She has seen the museum through several ups and downs, including a 14% staff cut during the 2009 recession.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in Paris, France, in 1866, at the suggestion of the lawyer John Jay. Today, the museum holds more than two million international objects in its collections, spanning 5,000 years.