Nancy G. Heller, Ph.D.

Professor Emerita of Art History at The University of the Arts

Nancy G. Heller is Professor Emerita of Art History at The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA).  She has also taught at the University of Maryland (College Park), Texas A & M @ Commerce, and Georgetown University.  She has lectured for numerous museums, clubs, universities, and other organizations,  and  presented scholarly papers at art and dance-history conferences across the U.S. as well as in Lisbon, London, Seville, Rome, and Cluj (Romania).  Dr. Heller has received awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Smithsonian Institution, American Association of University Women, Richard C. von Hess Foundation, Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, and the government of Spain.  Since 1984, she has been a student, teacher, and performer of Spanish dance, and a writer/lecturer on related subjects.  Dr. Heller’s most recent books are the 4th revised-and-expanded edition of Women Artists: An Illustrated History (Abbeville Press) and Why a Painting is Like a Pizza: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Modern Art (Princeton University Press).  She also co-wrote and co-edited Imaging Dance: Visual Representations of Dancers and Dancing (Georg Olms Verlag); contributed a chapter to Flamenco on the Global Stage: Historical Critical, and Theoretical Perspectives (McFarland); and wrote the catalogue essay on music and dance for the National Gallery’s 2022-2023 exhibition, “Sargent and Spain.”

Bob Wittman

FBI Special Agent / Real Life Indiana Jones

Robert K. Wittman joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1988. As a result of specialized training in art, antiques, jewelry and gem identification, he served as the FBI’s investigative expert involving cultural property crime. During his 20 year FBI career he recovered more than $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property, resulting in numerous prosecutions and convictions.   Mr. Wittman coauthored the FBI Cultural Property Investigative Manual in 2001, and in 2005, he created the FBI’s rapid deployment national Art Crime Team (ACT). Mr. Wittman has represented the United States throughout the world conducting investigations and instructing international police and museums in recovery and use of high value asset security techniques in more than 20 countries. He recently concluded a series of regional security and protection of cultural heritage training lectures to government agencies representing countries in Asia, Central Asia and Serbia sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Mr. Wittman is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations including the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service-Officer Level, presented by the President of Peru, the White Cross of Law Enforcement Merit with Distinction, by the government of Spain, Director’s Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law Enforcement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Robert Burke Award for Cultural Property Protection from the Smithsonian Institution, and the S.A.F.E Beacon Award from Saving Antiquities for Everyone.

In 2010, Mr. Wittman penned his New York Times bestselling memoir “PRICELESS: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures.” His second book, “THE DEVIL’S DIARY: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich” is a worldwide best seller published in 29 languages in more than 30 countries. He was featured in the History Channel series “Lost History’ and recently filmed an investigation into the lost artifacts of General George Custer’s brigade at the battle of Little Big Horn in Montana. Mr. Wittman has served as an expert witness in multiple state and federal court cases. Currently he is president of Robert Wittman Inc., a firm specializes in consulting in art matters which include expert witness testimony, investigation and collection management.