Jan Howard was appointed curator of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 2000. Prior to her position at RISD, she was a curator for 14 years in the department of prints, drawings, and photographs at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Her exhibitions have primarily focused on modern and contemporary art, including Interior Drama: Aaron Siskind's Photographs of the 1940s (2003); Adrian Piper: Food for the Spirit (2001–02); African Affinities: Contemporary Connections (2001); Laurie Simmons: The Music of Regret (1997); and the series Drawing Now (1987–89), which included shows for the artists Ellen Phelan, Mel Bochner, Susan Rothenberg, and Pat Steir, among others. She was a Pew Fellowships panelist in 2009.