PRESS CONTACT:
Luke Perkins, Manager of Communications and Public Relations
303.866.3670 | luke.perkins@state.co.us 

A fifth-generation Colorado Italian American, DiGiacomo holds a B.A. in art history and photography from the University of Northern Colorado and an M.A. in art history and museum studies from the University of Denver. Over her 23 years of service to the State she has served in a number of capacities including Curator of Arts and Design and Curator of Artifacts.

As the Director of Curatorial Services and Senior Curator, DiGiacomo built and refined History Colorado’s permanent collection holdings, collections research, and the processing of the collection to make it available to the general public. Additionally she collaborated on exhibits and educational programs, while also improving access to the collection, and History Colorado’s community outreach. 

"In her 23-years as a curator, Alisa has left her mark on Colorado's permanent historical record,” said Jason Hanson, Chief Creative Officer for History Colorado. “From working with Colorado's Italian community to record their history as never before, to leading History Colorado's curatorial team in ensuring that our collection more fully reflects all who have called this place home, Alisa's legacy is one that enriches our understanding of what it means to be Coloradans." 

This expansion of what it means to be a Coloradan came through in DiGiacomo’s first curated exhibition, The Italians of Denver, which opened at the previous Colorado History Museum in 2007. Since then she has curated a number of exhibitions for History Colorado including: Quiltspeak: Stories in the Stitches; Children of Ludlow: Life in a Battle Zone, 1913–1914; Backstory: Western American Art in Context; and Destination Colorado, currently on exhibition at the History Colorado Center.

In addition to her curatorial work, DiGiacomo is a distinguished author having written Italy in Colorado: Family Histories from Denver and Beyond, as well as multiple articles for The Colorado Magazine and serving as a contributor to Andiamo!, Colorado's Italian Community Newspaper. She has contributed to multiple documentaries, scholarly articles and books, and presented publicly on Italian Americans in Colorado and History Colorado’s collection and collection practices on many occasions.

Due to her long and distinguished career as a curator caring for Colorado’s cultural heritage; commitment to telling the stories of all Coloradans; promotion of the value of historic preservation; fostering of strong relationships with Colorado communities; development of unique Collection access initiatives; and overall serving as a strong public servant on behalf of the Centennial state, History Colorado names DiGiacomo Senior Curator Emeritus.

Emeritus status is an honorary designation at History Colorado, and many other museums, cultural institutions and universities. This status is assigned to former staff with a long and distinguished career with a history of leadership within an organization.

“Alisa has been an incredible steward of Colorado’s history for more than 20 years,” said Dawn DiPrince, History Colorado’s Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer. “She has worked compassionately to ensure that the collection is a reflection of the people and stories of Colorado and she has led a team who is working collaboratively to thoughtfully and inclusively expand the state's collection. Extending Emeritus status underscores Alisa's commitment to generational knowledge and loyal advocacy of Colorado's memory.”

About History Colorado
History Colorado is a division of the Colorado Department of Higher Education and a 501(c)3 non-profit that serves more than 75,000 students and 500,000 people in Colorado each year. It is a 143-year-old institution that operates eleven museums and historic sites, a free public research center, the Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, and the History Colorado State Historical Fund (SHF), which is one of the nation’s largest state-funded preservation programs of its kind. More than 70% of SHF grants are allocated in rural areas of the state.

History Colorado’s mission is to create a better future for Colorado by inspiring wonder in our past. We serve as the state’s memory, preserving and sharing the places, stories, and material culture of Colorado through educational programs, historic preservation grants, collecting, outreach to Colorado communities, the History Colorado Center and Stephen H. Hart Research Center in Denver, and ten other museums and historic attractions statewide. History Colorado is one of only six Smithsonian Affiliates in Colorado. Visit HistoryColorado.org, or call 303-HISTORY, for more information.