Anya Dani (she/her) is an objects conservator who incorporates social responsibility into her work and strives to end systemic racism in the art conservation field.  She has more than 20 years of experience working in the cultural heritage sector. She is currently the Director of Community Engagement and Inclusive Practice / Lecturer at the UCLA/Getty Interdepartmental Program in the Conservation of Cultural Heritage. She is also a lecturer in the Museum Studies Program at San Francisco State University. Additionally, Anya is also a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), a member (former co-chair) of AIC’s Equity & Inclusion Committee, a co-founder of the Black Art Conservators Group, and a member of the Balboa Art Conservation Center’s Board of Trustees.  Previously, Anya worked at the Stanford University Archaeology Collections where she completed a year-long conservation survey. From 2011-2021, Anya worked at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST), a world-class international university in Okinawa, Japan. At OIST she established an Art Conservation Program that partnered with local museums and artists on the conservation and study of Okinawa’s unique material culture. Anya has also collaborated on projects with institutions such as the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco (FAMSF) and the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya (CSMVS) in Mumbai.

Anya received both an MS and BA in art conservation from the University of Delaware.  She began her career working in the Conservation Department of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (Museums of New Mexico), which is where she gained a community-centered perspective to preserving objects from diverse cultures. Throughout her career, Anya has completed large-scale conservation assessments, collections rehousing and move projects, and mentored many students. She has particular experience in the conservation of pottery, baskets, lacquerware, and archeological materials.