OMA Board of Directors

Katy Menne, Board Secretary

The Coast

Katy has been in informal and formal education since 2011. She earned a BA in History and a Masters in Teaching from the University of South Carolina. Merging extensive experiences in micro, small, and midsize museums with her passion for creating comfort and inclusion in every interaction, she founded Learner Centered Strategies (LCS) in 2023. Menne was awarded the Emerging Museums Professional from Southeastern Museums Conference in 2020, and through her work her organization won the Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion award from North Carolina Museums Council in 2022.

Stacy Nalley, Programs Committee Co-Chair

Willamette Valley

Stacy is the Public Outreach Coordinator at the Oregon State Capitol. She received her B.A. from San Francisco State University in journalism and minored in cultural anthropology. Stacy is passionate about communications in general and is fascinated by the impacts of social media on our society. She holds her Certified Interpretive Guide Training (CIGT, CIG and CIT) accreditation through the National Association of Interpretation and has helped regional cultural and heritage organizations by sharing the field of interpretation with them. Stacy believes that museums enrich lives and can provide accessibility to information through a more equitable lens. She and her husband enthusiastically explore museums from revered to obscure, and everything in between.

Lydia Heins, Board Member

The Coast

Lydia, appointed Executive Director of the Coos Art Museum in 2023, has more than a decade of experience across STEM and cultural museums. Her academic credentials include an BA in History from Linfield University and an MA in Museum Studies from the University College London. Lydia loves dedicating herself to improving the museum community through community engagement, cultural education, and economic prosperity. Transitioning from a STEAM collection back to her passion for arts and culture, she excels at sharing the diversity of artists and cultural events. As Executive Director, Lydia is committed to fostering relationships, promoting local arts, and recognizing the global impact of arts education within the coastal arts community.

Val Van Alstyne, Board Member, Programs Committee Co-Chair

Willamette Valley

Val is the Executive Director of the Albany Regional Museum and Membership & Donations Coordinator at Deepwood Museum & Gardens. Her previous museum experience began in 2013 in Colorado where she received her BA in Museum Studies and a minor in studio art. As a Colorado native, she interned for and was employed by several Denver art and history museums, mainly in collections and preparator positions. Since moving to Oregon, Val has previously served as General Director at the Frank Lloyd Wright Gordon House and continues volunteering in historic preservation for the Parks Department and at local arts events. She is an artist herself and enjoys being around creative people in the museum field.

Rebekah Averette, Board Member

Central Oregon

Rebekah is the Collections Manager for the Deschutes County Museum in Bend. A native Oregonian, Rebekah spent most of her life in the Portland area before moving to Bend in 2017. She grew up in Lake Oswego, studied History and German at the University of Oregon, served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ukraine, and later received an MA in Teaching from the University of Washington. After numerous years teaching middle school, Rebekah decided to return to history, her true passion. She is in the process of completing her thesis for her Masters in History at Portland State University and will graduate in June 2024. At the Deschutes County Museum, Rebekah manages the archives and helps plan and build exhibits. In her spare time, Rebekah loves exploring the Pacific Northwest, hiking, trail running, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and hanging out with her partner, Dave, and cat, Fitzy.

Natascha Adams, Board Member, Conference Committee Co-Chair

Willamette Valley

 Natascha is the Curator of Exhibitions at the Benton County Historical Society (BCHS), working at both the Philomath and Corvallis museums.

With a career rooted in non-profits, Natascha has dedicated herself to education, outreach, and community engagement. While earning her MA in Museum Studies from George Washington University, she interned with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. She then spent nearly two years as an archaeologist in Ireland before returning to the U.S. to direct OMSI’s Hancock Field Station. There, she witnessed the power of hands-on learning in helping both children and adults develop a deeper understanding of science and nature. Her role as Vice President of Youth Development at the YMCA deepened her commitment to inclusion and community building, while her work as a volunteer recruiter for Oregon’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman sharpened her skills in marketing and outreach.

Natascha reentered the museum field in 2021, leading the team which reimagining and reopening of the Heritage Museum in Independence. In 2025, she transitioned to BCHS, where she continues her passion for uncovering untold stories, fostering innovative and collaborative programming, engaging the community, and ensuring that everyone feels welcome and safe to explore history.

Jessica Hougen, Board Member, Conference Committee Co-Chair

Willamette Valley

Jessica is the Executive Director of the Benton County Historical Society. After obtaining B.A.s in Women’s Studies and Anthropology, she received her M.A. in Museology from the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. She then followed her career around the country for 18 years before making it back to Oregon.

Jessica has held jobs at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, New York; the Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, Nevada; the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith, Arkansas; and the Sutter County Museum in Yuba City, California. Most of her positions have been in curatorial and collections roles, although, if you know small museums you know she has done everything from giving guided tours to cleaning the toilets.

Jessica is constantly inspired by the incredible people doing work in the museum industry.

Tara Cole, Board Member

Portland Metro

Tara is the Administrative Manager at the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) in Portland. Since joining OHS in 2015, Tara has contributed to the organization in various capacities, including roles within the education department and museum services departments, before transitioning into her current administrative position. With over nine years of experience in the museum field, Tara’s expertise spans education, museum exhibitions, programming, project management, and administration. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University at Buffalo and an M.A. in Historical Archaeology from the University of West Florida. Tara is passionate about the role of museums in fostering a sense of belonging and community and believes they serve as vital spaces for learning, connection, and the preservation of diverse histories.

Liz Koonce, Board Member

Southern Oregon

Liz is the Exhibits & Facilities Coordinator at ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in Ashland. She has a master's degree in Landscape Architecture from University of Oregon, where she discovered her love for exhibit design while working for three years as the Exhibitions Assistant at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History. After working as a landscape architect for several years designing gardens, parks, and playgrounds, Liz honed in on her passion of designing interpretive educational exhibits, and utilizes her background in plants and ecology as much as possible in her role. She is most interested in educating through storytelling -- whether through imagery, hands-on interactives, or writing -- as is currently working on a book about the impacts of the cattle industry on public landscapes in the western US. When she isn't working or writing, Liz can be found hiking, watching horror movies, and snuggling with her dog Otis and cat Melfi.