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Executive Summary

 

Experienced museum, business, and education professional with advanced degrees in Business Administration, Museum Studies, and Anthropology strengthened by years of management, teaching, curriculum and program development.  Nearly 20 years teaching experience with adult learners in both private and public post-secondary educational environments. Fifteen years of budget and ethical fiscal practices as a department head, organizational leader, and business owner. I am an effective and diplomatic communicator who often manages multiple concurrent projects. Successfully engages with colleagues, stakeholders, and communities of diverse backgrounds.

Professional Strengths
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  • Leadership through respect for others and diplomatic consensus building.

  • Experience supervising, mentoring, and growing staff and volunteers.

  • Budget management and development.

  • Public and professional engagement with diverse audiences.

  • ​Large event planning, management, and securing sponsorship

  • Grant writing and donor cultivation.

  • Enthusiasm for sharing Washington’s history with the public, local and regional.

  • Proficiency with speaking to large groups and media relations.

Education

 

Master of Arts in Museum Studies, John F. Kennedy University, 2010.

 

Master in Business Administration, John F. Kennedy University, 2010.

 

Master of Arts in Anthropology, California State University, Hayward, 1999.

 

Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Sociology, Southern Oregon University, 1997.

Professional Experience

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Museum Director/Executive Director, Cowlitz County Historical Museum and Cowlitz County Historical Society, Kelso, WA, July 2017 – Current

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  • County Department Head supervising, directing, and supporting staff, interns, and volunteers, reporting to County Commissioners, County Chief of Staff, and Historical Society Board President. Oversee and direct all activities of the museum.

  • Manage partnership between governmental and private organizations.

  • Prepare, manage, and propose budgets for both Cowlitz County Governmental and Cowlitz County Historical Society portions of Museum budget, including payroll, expenditures, and deposit funds. Successful in exceeding fundraising goals and strategic planning.

  • Oversee research, planning, exhibition development and implementation, educational and public programs.

  • Build mutually collaborative relationships with other community organizations.

  • Public face of the museum including interactions with media, publicity, press releases, and advertisements.

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Museum Curator, Foss Waterway Seaport, Tacoma, WA, March 2011 – June 2017

 

  • Develop and manage budgets for collections care, exhibits, and heritage boat shop.

  • Department Lead supervising, directing, and supporting subordinate staff, interns, and volunteers.

  • Advise executive staff on strategic planning and capital improvements to facility.

  • Lead for Collections and Exhibits Committee and Boat Shop Committee in content planning, program development, and resource allocation.

  • Design, develop, manage, and install regionally-themed exhibits.Serve as the museum’s academic resource for researching artifact histories, interpretation, and developing content for exhibit storylines.

  • Collaborate with staff on marketing projects, community engagement, and facilities management.

  • Grant writing and development of relationships to financially support my department and institution.

  • Responsible for drafting policies and procedures that align with best current practices.

  • Manage all museum acquisitions, database management, care and storage of collections, artifact research, and safe artifact transport and handling.

  • Ensure objects are displayed in appropriate environments taking into account threats to security, damage, loss, and environmental conditions.

  • Collaborate with outside contractors including architects, graphic designers, construction teams, engineers, donors, lenders of objects, and other stakeholders to advance the museum’s mission.

 

Adjunct College Instructor, Columbia College, Coast Guard Island, CA and Online, January 2010 - Present

 

  • Anthropology and Sociology course instruction on U.S. Coast Guard base to students predominately from the U.S.C.G., other military branches, and law enforcement.Course delivery in traditional in-seat and online formats.

  • Successfully engage students of diverse backgrounds and learning styles.

 

Consultant, National Japanese American Historical Society, San Francisco, CA, January 2010-February 2011

 

  • Identification and interpretation of historic militaria and weaponry, provided WWII artifact identification for both European and Pacific Theatres.

  • Assisted with inventory, cataloguing, and organizing collections and archives.

  • Assisted in managing collections of approximately 3,000 historical and 10,000 archival objects.

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Adjunct College Instructor, DeVry University, Bay Area Metro, CA, March 2009-February 2011

 

  • Economics, Sociology, Psychology, and Introductory College Skills course instruction. Course delivery in hybrid formats with classroom and online components.

  • Mentor students in career and academic goal achievement.

 

Business Owner, All Seasons Pool Service, Orinda, CA, July 2000 – February 2011

 

  • Managed all aspects of business operations, including budgeting, accounts receivable, payable, hiring employees, training, inventory, mechanical repairs, scheduling, and client relationship management and retention.

  • Launched company from scratch and grew a strong client base through reputation of integrity and professionalism.

  • Effectively established communication between clients and sub-contractors during construction projects.

  • Achieved high retention rate of clients through pride of workmanship, quality control, and positive relationship management, even in a struggling economy.

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General Education Coordinator and Adjunct Instructor, Western Career College, Pleasant Hill and San Leandro, CA, November 1998 – October 2005

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  • Responsible for hiring faculty, training, payroll, course scheduling, evaluation, and conflict mediation between students and faculty in capacity of acting Dean of Education.

  • Instructor of the Student Success Seminar, a course in study skills development designed for incoming, special needs, and adult re-entry students.

  • Instructor of Sociology and other humanities-related courses including Interpersonal Communication, English Composition, Political Science, and Ethics.

  • Instructor of quantitative science-based courses including Mathematics, Algebra, and Nutrition.

 

Graduate Student Employee, C.E. Smith Museum of Anthropology, Hayward, CA, May 1998-June 1999

 

  • Conducted comprehensive inventory of entire C.E. Smith Museum of Anthropology collections.

  • Participated in NAGPRA compliance and notification with applicable objects.

  • Exhibit installation and public engagement as docent.

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Additional Experience

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Internship and volunteer, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Walnut Creek, CA, January 2008 – February 2011

 

  • Helped manage collection of 14,000 objects under supervision of the Curator of Natural History.

  • Processed incoming and outgoing collections loans to institutions and the public, issuing permits required for restricted items, and worked with collections data system.

  • Worked closely with the Curator of Natural History to revise and update institutional collections policies and procedures for re-accreditation with the American Alliance of Museums.

  • Conducted inventory, condition reporting, and repair of specimens.

  • Worked directly with the public, particularly children, using the museum’s teaching collection.

 

Internship, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA, July 2007-March 2008

 

  • Worked in the Department of Ornithology and Mammalogy housing approximately 135,000 objects.

  • Catalogued, integrated, inventoried, and prepared specimens from the alcohol collections.

  • Participated in relocating the entire Ornithology and Mammalogy collections from a temporary location in downtown San Francisco to a new permanent $488M world-class facility at Golden Gate Park.

 

Professional Affiliations

 

Washington Museum Association, Board of Trustees

 

City of Lacey Historical Commission

 

Heritage League of Pierce County, President, Board of Directors

 

Tacoma Waterfront Association, Board of Directors

 

Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Council

 

Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society

 

Western Museums Association

 
 
Invited  Presentations, Lectures, Committees, and Appearances

 

Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum, featured Historian,  "The Pig War".

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Washington State Historical Society, History Speaks Program “An Incredible Journey:From Tacoma to the Far East, the Amazing Story of Capt. W.C. Johnson”.

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Oregon Museums Association, conference presenter, “Capitalizing on Community Engagement:Making your Museum a Prominent and Essential Enrichment to your Community”.

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"Washington State Historical Society, presenter, “World War I Infantry Small Arms” in support of the "Seeds of Victory:  Posters of the Great War exhibit".

 

Western Museums Association, conference presenter, “Using Special Events to Drive Attendance, Increase Revenue, and Raise Visibility” and “Collections that Can Kill:  Safe Handling, Display, and Storage of Hazardous Materials and Weapons”.

 

4 Culture, Heritage Care and Collections grant selection and awards committee.

 

Tacoma Arts Commission, selection committee, Murray Morgan Bridge public art project.

 

American Alliance of Museums conference, “Museum Education Collections: Balancing Use with Control”.

 

University of Washington Museology Department, guest panelist/presenter, “Museum Impacts & Functions-Small Museums” and “Collections Practices and Trends”.

 

Pacific Lutheran University, guest presenter, “Museums and Communities” and "Foss Waterway Seaport's Facilities Renovation Project".

 

Fife History Museum, presenter during WWII lecture series, “Infantry Small Arms of WWII.”

 

Tacoma Cemetery,  living history performer and docent at annual “Cemetery Tour”, a partnership with Tacoma Historical Society, Tacoma Cemetery, and Fort Nisqually Time Travelers.

2010 - present

2010 - present

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