About Krista

Krista Kusuma is the Founder and President of Experience First, LLC, where she partners with leaders, teams, and organizations to unlock potential, deepen connection, and drive meaningful transformation. With more than two decades of experience across museums and cultural institutions, Krista helps people work smarter, lead with intention, and create environments where both staff and guests thrive.

A nationally recognized thought leader, Krista pioneered the widely acclaimed Visitor Experience Program at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston (ICA) — transforming a security-focused model into a guest-centered, cross-trained approach that became a model for museums nationwide. Her adaptive “toolkit” empowered staff to deliver personalized, inclusive experiences, resulting in higher guest satisfaction, deeper staff engagement, and measurable organizational impact.

Krista’s influence extends beyond individual institutions. She founded the Visitor Experience Program Network (VEPN) in Boston and Bay Area VEX in California, creating collaborative communities for professionals in guest experience leadership. She also serves as Community Co-Chair and Board Member for the Independent Museum Professionals (IMP) and has guided national initiatives through the Visitor Experience Group (VEX), where she championed diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts while expanding ambassador networks nationwide.

As an ICF-certified Co-Active Coach, Krista blends strategic insight with compassionate leadership development. Her work has been featured in Come, Stay, Learn, Play (American Alliance of Museums) and she has presented at numerous national conferences, helping hundreds of professionals lead more intentional, purpose-driven lives.

When she’s not coaching or consulting, Krista is an enthusiastic Director of Activities for her two young children and a resilient two-time cancer thriver.