UTEP Appointed New Leadership at Rubin Center

Andres Payan Estrada and John Leo De Frank assumed leadership roles at the UTEP art institution on August 1, 2026.

Updated on Sept. 27, 2026 in People

Empty modern art gallery interior with concrete walls and white plinths under bright, soft natural light. — The University of Texas at El Paso appointed Andres Payan Estrada as director and John Leo De Frank as assistant director of the Rubin Center, effective August 1. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The University of Texas at El Paso named Andres Payan Estrada as the new director and chief curator of the Rubin Center, effective August 1, 2026. He joins assistant director John Leo De Frank in overseeing the organization's future exhibitions and community programming.

Why it matters

The appointments follow the departure of longtime leader Kerry Doyle, who served the institution for nearly 20 years. This transition aims to maintain the center's influence in the El Paso art scene through new leadership.

Payan Estrada brings a decade of experience from Craft Contemporary in Los Angeles, building on a career that started at the Rubin Center as an intern in 2008. He holds bachelor's degrees from UTEP and an MFA earned in 2014.

The players

Andres Payan Estrada

He is the director and chief curator of the Rubin Center who previously spent 10 years at Craft Contemporary.

John Leo De Frank

He is the assistant director of the Rubin Center and a former lecturer in the UTEP Humanities Program.

Kerry Doyle

She served as the leader of the Rubin Center for nearly 20 years prior to the transition.

The details

Andres Payan Estrada returned to the Rubin Center as a senior curator in 2025 before his promotion to director. John Leo De Frank, who serves as the assistant director, previously held roles as the center's program manager and as a lecturer in the UTEP Humanities Program.

Andres Payan Estrada began as an intern in 2008.
He earned his MFA in 2014.
Payan Estrada returned to the institution in 2025.
He assumed the role of director on August 1, 2026.
The Rubin Center leads the SUTURA art initiative from November 18 to November 22, 2026.

Market Landscape

The leadership change concludes the 20-year tenure of Kerry Doyle at the Rubin Center, signaling a pivot in the institution's management strategy. This transition positions the center to evolve its community programming under new executive guidance.

Residents and students can expect updated exhibition schedules and community programming as the new leadership settles into their roles. These changes may influence local access to art initiatives in both El Paso and Ciudad Juárez.

The takeaway

New leadership often brings fresh curatorial perspectives to university-affiliated galleries, impacting the cultural landscape of the surrounding region. Readers should monitor upcoming exhibition announcements to see how these administrative changes translate into new public programming.