Robyn Jeffrey, Director of Digital Transformation, Engagement and Brand at the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum (Ottawa-Gatineau, Canada)

Robyn Jeffrey is the Director of Digital Transformation, Engagement and Brand at the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum, where she leads the development and implementation of the Museum's digital transformation strategy while shaping its corporate brand vision and positioning. She directs a dynamic division spanning digital content strategy and applications, marketing and brand, social media, and publications. Known for her ability to articulate vision and foster cross-functional collaboration, she has championed digital transformation initiatives across national cultural institutions for over two decades, from award-winning podcasts to AI-driven applications.

Pillars, Partners, People: The Trifecta of Digital Transformation?

Digital transformation in museums is no longer optional—it is fundamental to expanding access, enhancing visitor experiences, and ensuring cultural relevance. Yet despite near-universal consensus about the importance of digital innovation, the way forward is not always clear. Museums cannot go it alone in a fast-paced, rapidly changing world. So how do we as museum and arts sector leaders navigate uncertainty and establish a clear vision? How do we build meaningful partnerships—both inside and outside our sector—to accelerate digital transformation and remain relevant to our audiences? And how do we organize our institutions and teams to support that vision? In short: how do we bring clarity to the chaos?

This presentation will share the pillars established by the Canadian Museum of History and Canadian War Museum to support its digital transformation, unpack our approach to partnership, and discuss how the Museum has organized its teams to work horizontally across the institution. The framework will be illustrated through concrete examples, demonstrating how the right pillars, partnerships, and people alignment can help drive successful digital transformation. And because digital change is constant, we'll also explore the challenges we’ve overcome—and those we’re still working through—as we continue on this journey.