Caroline M. LeFevre,
Leader of Archive Transformation

I work where memory meets metadata. As a steward of visual legacy, I help artists and organizations bridge the gap between past, present, and future—from preserving analog photographs to managing complex digital archives. My work lives at the intersection of creativity, technology, and data where stories are stored, tagged, and made searchable for the next generation. I don’t just preserve assets.
I give them purpose.

About

  • My career bridges archival practice, knowledge management, and data-driven systems design, grounded in organization, precision, and long-term stewardship. I bring expertise in library science, digital asset management, metadata and taxonomy design, and project leadership to build archive programs that preserve cultural memory while actively enabling discovery, storytelling, and institutional decision-making.

    I have preserved, digitized, and made accessible visual culture across institutions including the Brooklyn Museum, the Guggenheim, and Kara Walker’s studio, working with collections ranging from fragile photographic materials to complex born-digital media. In my current role at Gensler, I oversee a firmwide repository of more than 275,000 digital assets linked to over 85,000 projects, and lead the design of scalable knowledge-sharing frameworks and platform integrations across OpenAsset, Salesforce, and Tableau. I also transformed the firm’s photography program into a globally recognized model, directing more than 50 shoots annually and establishing end-to-end production workflows and rights standards that directly enable the firm’s website, social channels, and marketing programs.

    Earlier in my career, I worked as a commissioned photographer for clients across the art, design, retail, and nonprofit sectors, developing deep expertise in fine-art image making for publications, special editions, exhibitions, and installations. This creative foundation informs my approach to digital preservation and access today, allowing me to design streamlined systems and best practices that respect artistic intent while ensuring accuracy, compliance, and long-term value. I am motivated by the belief that archives should function as living resources—supporting research, editorial storytelling, and public engagement—and I bring both strategic vision and hands-on execution to make that possible.

  • PRATT INSTITUTE, NEW YORK, NY
    Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS),
    Museum Archives Certification

    INDIANA UNIVERSITY, BLOOMINGTON, IN
    BA Art History, BFA Photography
    French Minor

    CERTIFICATIONS

    • PowerBI Data Analyst - In progress

      • Microsoft | Anticipated Completion June 2026

    • Certified Archivist (CA) - In Progress

      • Academy of Certified Archivists | Anticipated Completion June 2026

    • Project Management Professional (PMP) - In progress

      • Project Management Institute | Anticipated Completion December 2026

Case Studies

  • Collection Overview
    Brooklyn Visual Heritage is a public-facing digital collection of historic photographs documenting Brooklyn’s neighborhoods, architecture, and social history, drawn from the archives of three partner cultural institutions: the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and the Brooklyn Public Library.

    Archival Challenge
    The collection comprised fragile historical photographs requiring careful digitization, consistent metadata, and a public access framework that balanced preservation standards with discoverability and engagement.

    My Impact
    I arranged, digitized, and cataloged the Brooklyn Museum’s lantern slide collection and other photographic materials in accordance with archival standards; created structured metadata to improve search and retrieval; and supported the development of access strategies for a public digital platform. I also led social media outreach efforts that connected archival content with broader audiences.

    Result
    The collection became significantly more accessible, discoverable, and usable for researchers, educators, and the public—strengthening the museum’s role as a steward of Brooklyn’s visual and cultural history.

  • Collection Overview
    A contemporary artist archive documenting Cory Arcangel’s artworks, exhibitions, studio records, digital media, and merchandise—including his personal collection of more than 800 underground trance LPs—maintained as an active working archive and as a work of art in its own right.

    Archival Challenge
    The collection included complex born-digital materials and evolving artworks that required bespoke metadata structures and systems capable of supporting ongoing creative production.

    My Impact
    I cataloged and structured the archive using customized metadata frameworks within ArtBase, ensuring long-term access while supporting the artist’s active studio needs. I implemented organizational systems that aligned archival rigor with his creative process.

    Result
    The archive became a functional, searchable resource supporting exhibition planning, reproduction requests, and long-term preservation without disrupting artistic production. Most importantly, the archive inspired Arcangel to create The AUDMCRS Underground Dance Music Collection of Recorded Sound, an experiential installation of his trance vinyl collection, cataloged using MARC.

  • Collection Overview
    A large-scale proprietary digital library and photography archive containing over 275,000 assets linked to more than 85,000 architecture and design projects, supporting a global design firm’s marketing, design management, and firmwide knowledge-sharing initiatives.

    Archival Challenge
    Managing rapid growth, a complex data ecosystem, inconsistent legacy metadata, and the need for fast, reliable access across teams and regions.

    My Impact
    Over 12 years, I led metadata schema design, rights and governance standards, platform integrations, and high-volume photography production. I partnered cross-functionally to align the cloud-based DAM and digital library with brand, editorial, and operational needs, and built a globally recognized photography program supporting 50+ shoots annually.

    Result
    The digital library evolved into a scalable, integrated knowledge system that preserves institutional memory, accelerates image discovery, and ensures rights and brand compliance across the firm. My archival and production workflows directly enable Gensler’s website, social channels, and marketing efforts—ensuring visual assets and project information are accurate, licensed, and ready for storytelling at scale.

  • Collection Overview
    Institutional archives documenting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s governance, exhibitions, and organizational history.

    Archival Challenge
    Large volumes of unprocessed material required intellectual control, standardized description, digitization, and enhanced discoverability for researchers and staff.

    My Impact
    I processed 157 cubic feet of archival material, digitized materials, authored EAD-compliant finding aids for the Board of Trustees records, Departments and Affiliates Committee records, Exhibition records, and the Collection on Arts Organizations.

    I contributed scholarly blog content that contextualized archival materials for public audiences.

    Result
    The archives became more discoverable and usable for internal stakeholders and researchers, reinforcing the museum’s commitment to access, transparency, and scholarship.

  • Collection Overview
    A research-driven photographic and digital print reference collection supporting preservation science and best practices through the Rochester Institute of Technology Image Permanence Institute’s GraphicsAtlas.org and DP3 Project.

    Archival Challenge
    The collection required intellectual control, acid-free housing, and precise documentation of photographic processes, materials, and deterioration characteristics to support scientific research and education.

    My Impact
    I researched, documented, and managed photographic and digital print assets, contributing to metadata frameworks and workflows that aligned technical accuracy with usability. I created multimedia content published on GraphicsAtlas.org—a tool for stewards of photography collections.

    Result
    The collection became a trusted, authoritative resource for conservators, archivists, and researchers worldwide studying photographic materials and preservation.

  • Collection Overview
    A contemporary artist archive documenting Kara Walker’s creative output, works in progress, source material, exhibitions, publications, and professional history across multiple media formats. The papers include her “dream journals” and research on themes central to her practice—race, colonialism, sexuality, gender, and violence—across disciplines such as sculpture, drawing, puppetry, cut-paper silhouettes, painting, and video.

    Archival Challenge
    The collection required a system that could support both scholarly research and active studio use, while addressing complex bibliographic and ownership relationships.

    My Impact
    I processed and arranged the artist’s papers, developed archival policies, and proposed an innovative linked-data bibliography and inventory model to connect publications, ownership, and institutional records.

    Result
    The archive supported studio operations, research inquiries, and long-term legacy planning. It laid the groundwork for Walker’s 2020 exhibition, drawn from her personal archive, Kara Walker: Drawings, at Sikkema Jenkins Gallery.

  • Collection Overview
    A photographic archive documenting the career and body of work of photographer Xavier Guardans, encompassing prints, negatives, and digital files.

    Archival Challenge
    Materials existed across formats with limited structure, requiring consolidation, standardization, digitization, and preservation planning.

    My Impact
    I processed, cataloged, and structured the archive using tailored metadata frameworks, ensuring consistency across physical and digital assets. I created high-resolution scans of negatives that had never been enlarged before, contributing to the artist’s newfound inspiration for his own work.

    Result
    The archive became a coherent, accessible collection that supported Guardans’ website, exhibitions, print sales, a series of artist monographs, and long-term preservation of the artist’s photographic legacy.