David Odo

Occupation: Director and CEO, Honolulu Museum of Art
College: Columbia University, University of Oxford
What school you grad? Kailua High ‘83
Location: Honolulu, HI

As Director and CEO, David Odo leads the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA), oversees its collection and programs, advances fundraising and strategic initiatives, and guides the institution as it enters its second century of service to Hawai‘i and the broader art community.

Odo has nearly two decades of leadership experience across museums, universities, and cultural institutions. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for combining scholarly excellence with a deep commitment to public access, community engagement and institutional innovation. His work has helped expand audiences, strengthen collections, advance research and foster meaningful connections between museums and the communities they serve.

Prior to joining HoMA in September, he served as the Director and Chief Curator at the Georgia Museum of Art at the University of Georgia. In that role, he oversaw a broad portfolio spanning institutional vision and strategy, financial stewardship, fundraising, collections and educational direction.

He previously held leadership positions at the Harvard Art Museums and Yale University Art Gallery. An internationally recognized scholar with expertise in 19th-century photography of Japan, Odo held appointments at the Rijksmuseum, The Smithsonian Institution, the Osaka National Museum of Ethnology, the University of Tokyo, and the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology at Harvard University. His current research affiliations include the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford and the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies at Harvard University.

He attended Audubon Elementary (California), Kailua Intermediate and Kailua High. His mother, Enid Odo, was a teacher at Blanche Pope Elementary.

Q: What was your journey like after high school?
A: I studied at Columbia University and majored in East Asian Studies, followed by a year in Japan studying Japanese. I then returned to Hawai‘i to work at a local TV station as a producer, director and general sales manager. Subsequent to that work, I went to the United Kingdom to pursue my doctorate in social and cultural anthropology at the University of Oxford, followed by research fellowships at institutions including Harvard University, the University of Tokyo, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, and others. I went on to hold positions at the Yale University Art Gallery, Harvard Art Museums, and most recently, the Georgia Museum of Art, before taking up my current role as Director and CEO at the Honolulu Museum of Art in September 2026.

Q: What are you up to these days?
一个: I have a busy job at HoMA, where we are about to turn 100 years old in 2027. I am excited to be leading the museum into our next century, as we focus especially on the arts of Hawai‘i. After having been away from home for 30 years, I am enjoying being back in Hawai‘i and am loving the wonderful arts and culture scene that has developed over the years. My wife and I live in Mānoa, which is terrific, but I miss Kailua!

Q: Why did you choose this career path and what do you enjoy most about it?
A: I have always been fascinated by art and the people who create it, and working at a museum is a great way to be involved in the art world. I have enjoyed continuously learning new things, working with amazing colleagues, and especially having the chance to mentor and teach young people as they progress in their studies and careers.

Q: What makes you #PublicSchoolProud?
A: Public school was a great place to get to know kids from all over the community, which expanded my world beyond my immediate circle of friends and family.  

Q: Favorite subject in school?
A: 英语

Q: What type of extracurricular activities were you involved in?
A: Swimming, debate, orchestra (outside of school)

Q: What was your favorite school lunch or breakfast?
一个: Pizza

Q: Name of a teacher or mentor you’d like to thank?
A: I can’t choose just one. I want to thank (most of) my high school teachers, who were extremely patient with me, even though I wasn’t an easy pupil! They were very dedicated and caring, even though I wasn’t able to appreciate it properly at the time.   

Q: What advice do you have for students?
A: Get enough sleep! And spend as much time as possible looking closely and asking questions about all subjects that interest you.