Overview
- Suda filed suit in Pennsylvania state court alleging breaches of contract, bad faith and unlawful termination, and she seeks two years’ severance, damages and a jury trial.
- The museum says the complaint is without merit and has declined further comment beyond acknowledging the litigation.
- Her dismissal followed an independent law‑firm investigation that leaders say recommended termination, with scrutiny of a roughly $39,000 two‑year pay increase, travel, and memberships that Suda says were approved.
- The ousted director declined an option to resign; her 2023 compensation was reported at about $729,000, and she alleges the museum offered only six months’ severance despite a five‑year contract.
- Suda, a Canadian citizen, claims the for‑cause firing and proposed severance timing could jeopardize her U.S. permanent‑residency process, while deputy director Louis Marchesano manages daily operations as trustees weigh interim leadership.