The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has appointed Nancy Kelly as its development director.

A graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston and Claremont Graduate University, Ms. Kelly has been involved in higher education for 35 years as both faculty and administrator. She was previously the senior advisor to the president at Hampshire College, where over the past 19 years she was involved in numerous fund-raising projects, drafted strategic plans for college communications and executed special events. She also worked closely with the board of trustees and oversaw many of the college’s community engagement activities.

She has summered on the Island for nearly 20 years. Ms. Kelly said in a statement that she looks forward to collaborating with colleagues to raise individual gifts and grant funds to preserve the museum’s collections in order to make them more accessible to members and visitors.