▁was ▁named ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁director ▁of ▁MO CA , ▁following ▁the ▁ab rupt ▁res ignation ▁of ▁Philippe ▁Ver g ne . ▁Ver g ne , ▁formerly ▁the ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁Dia ▁Art ▁Foundation ▁in ▁New ▁York , ▁began ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁MO CA ' s ▁director ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁and ▁ended ▁it ▁amid ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁controvers ies , ▁including ▁the ▁firing ▁of ▁chief ▁cur ator ▁Helen ▁M oles worth . ▁Before ▁Ver g ne , ▁Maria ▁Se fer ian ▁served ▁as ▁inter im ▁director ▁from ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁to ▁March ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁while ▁the ▁institution ▁under w ent ▁the ▁search ▁for ▁its ▁next ▁director . ▁She ▁has ▁been ▁coun sel ▁to ▁the ▁museum ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁art ▁deal er ▁and ▁cur ator ▁Jeff rey ▁De itch ▁served ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁MO CA ▁from ▁June ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁through ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁he ▁told ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁leave . ▁De itch ▁experienced ▁a ▁measure ▁of ▁controvers y ▁for ▁his ▁cl ash ▁with ▁Paul ▁Sch imm el , ▁the ▁museum ' s ▁then - ch ief ▁cur ator . ▁The ▁board ' s ▁firing ▁of ▁Sch imm el ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁criticism ▁from ▁the ▁community .