Anya Dani

Anya Dani serves as Director of Community Engagement and Inclusive Practice and Lecturer at the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). As an objects conservator, she specializes in community-centered approaches to preserving diverse cultural artifacts while advocating for racial equity in heritage stewardship.

Her educational background includes:

• M.S. in Art Conservation, Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation (2007)
• B.A. in Art Conservation, University of Delaware (2003)

Dani's research pioneers decolonizing methodologies in art conservation, emphasizing community partnerships and culturally responsive practices. She challenges traditional Western conservation paradigms through work on Okinawan ceramics and Sierra Leonean artifacts, positioning community voices at the center of collections stewardship. Her scholarship bridges technical conservation science with social justice frameworks to transform institutional practices.

Her major recognitions include:

• Rutherford John Gettens Award (2022) from the American Institute for Conservation for outstanding service
• Dr. Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Travel Award (2007)
• University of Delaware Alumni Enrichment Award (2005)

Dani co-chairs the American Institute for Conservation's Equity & Inclusion Committee and co-founded Black Art Conservators, leading national initiatives for structural change. Her community-engaged projects in Okinawa demonstrate unconventional conservation models prioritizing local knowledge systems over institutional authority.