Who

Mirrer is the head of the benign-sounding but surprisingly controversial New-York Historical Society. (Yes, that's "New-York.")

Backstory

Great Neck native Mirrer started out in academia, teaching medieval studies at Fordham University and working as vice provost at the University of Minnesota. She returned to New York in 1997 to take a job as executive vice chancellor of CUNY, then left in 2004 to head up the New-York Historical Society following Kenneth T. Jackson's departure. As head of the organization, she oversees a hefty collection of artifacts relating to the history of the city, including millions of maps and documents pertaining to major New York events, from the American Revolution to Sept. 11th. Since taking over, she's also co-authored a book, The New-York Historical Society: A Bicentennial History 1804 – 2004, with Larry E. Sullivan.

Of note

Mirrer's tenure at the NYHS has been improbably contentious. In 2006, while seeking permission from the city's Landmarks Preservation Committee for a $20 million renovation of the organization's historic building, she also petitioned for permission to build a $23 million apartment building (a similar plan was scuttled in 1984). The news upset NYHS's neighbors on Central Park West and the project was officially sunk in 2007. She's also faced criticism over a number of recent exhibitions, including the Alexander Hamilton exhibition in 2004, which some argued reflected a more politically conservative bent at the institution.

Personal

Mirrer has what she describes as a "commuter marriage" with her husband, UCLA sociologist David Halle. They have three children—Philip, Malcolm and Carla—and own a 1925 "maisonette" on East 51st Street near Beekman Place, the site of the old Beekman family estate. (The family was among the founders of the New-York Historical Society in 1804). Halle and Mirrer bought the home for $1 million in 2000.

For the record

In her office, the Caucasian Mirrer has a portrait of her "inner spirit" by Dominican artist Jorge Severino, in which she is portrayed as a regal black woman clad entirely in white.

No joke

Her tennis partner is Kathryn Wylde, the president of the Partnership for New York City.