Meet the Staff: Sherine Brown

What is your Title?
Museum Logistics Support Manager

Can you explain a little bit about the type of work you do?
I control the museum’s incoming and outgoing shipments. I verify, record, and prepare items for shipment by comparing its count, weight, or measurement to verify information against bills of ladings, invoices, orders, or other records. I am also responsible for the museum vehicle (the Goose) by maintaining the van in peak operating condition and I ensure drivers are trained to safely handle the 15 passenger van.

What is the most challenging part of your job?
Making sure all requests are fulfilled and everyone is happy.

What do you enjoy most about your work?
I enjoy the ability to work independently, the trust from my supervisors, and the people I work with. It is great to work with people that care about the museum and doing a good job. It is hard to find that environment today because so many people do not care about honesty, hard work, and integrity.

What was your back ground before coming to Cooper Hewitt?
I was a solider in the Jamaica Defense Force.

What is a good design, bad design?
Good design makes complex things simple and bad design does not work as intended.

How has the renovation either opened new doors or posed new challenges for you?
The biggest challenge has been coordinating museum deliveries and pick-ups and supervising the renovation contractors in the loading dock area.

Looking forward, what are you most excited about once the museum reopens?
I cannot wait to see the garden and the transformation inside the mansion.

What is your favorite exhibition and why?
Alexander Calder, he was innovative in creating household gadgets and multi-media jewelry with bits of metal and other material.

What was the most memorable moment for you at Cooper Hewitt?
Finding a wallet in the conservatory with $5000 and jewelry inside and then seeing the woman’s face with tears knowing nothing was lost. Honesty is the best policy.

What is your favorite place on the museum campus?
The garden and watching the wisteria bloom onto the Carnegie Mansion’s exterior.

Finally if you could redesign anything what would it be?
Find a way to make everyone more trusting and forgiving, to be willing to lend a hand for those in need, and to be less suspicious of each other and their motives.