 OMA Board of Directors, October 2022. From left to right: Ariel Peasley, Janice Crane, Eleanor Sandys, Zachary Stocks, Peter Kukla, Katie Williams, Amanda Coven, Jennifer Fang. Not pictured: Natascha Adams, Heather Christenbury. |
Peter Kukla, Board PresidentWillamette Valley
Ariel Peasley, Board SecretaryPortland Metro
Amanda Coven, Board Member, Membership Chair
Portland Metro
Eleanor Sandys, Board Member
Portland Metro
Heather Christenbury, Board MemberThe Coast
| Janice Crane, Board TreasurerMt Hood/The Gorge
Katie Williams, Board Vice President, Programs Committee Co-chair
Portland Metro
Jennifer Fang, Board Member, DEAI Committee ChairPortland Metro
Natascha Adams, Board Member, Conference Committee ChairWillamette Valley
Natascha has spent most of her career working in non-profits. After interning with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and graduation with her MA in Museum Studies from the George Washington University, she spent close to two years as an archaeologist in Ireland. She returned to the states and was the director of OMSI’s Hancock Field Station and learned firsthand how instrumental hands-on learning is for kids and adults to truly grasp complex concept. Her time as Vice President of Youth Development at the YMCA left a lasting impression on her philosophies of inclusion and community engagement, while her time as a volunteer recruiter for the State of Oregon’s Long Term Care Ombudsman agency helped hone her skills in marketing and outreach. Natascha rejoined the museum world in 2021 working only a few blocks from home in a community she loves. She is passionate about telling the stories that have gone untold, creating innovative programing, engaging the community, and making sure everyone feels welcome and safe to explore. |
Peter Kukla is part of the Eugene Science Center team in Eugene,
OR as their Community Engagement Director. He has over six years of
experience in the museum field, having worked in education, guest
services, volunteer management, and public programming. Peter is
passionate about the museum field and creating equitable access to
informal education. Peter is also currently serving on the Program
Committee for the Western Museums Association. He has a BA in Physics
from Occidental College with internship experience at organizations
ranging from OMSI to NASA.
Ariel Peasley was born and raised in Oregon, but earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Montana, Missoula and her Master's degree in Anthropology and Museum Studies from California State University, Chico. She has worked in museums since 2013 and returned home to Oregon in 2017. She is currently a Museum Educator at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE). Ariel is passionate about public and community education and the important part that museums and other non-profit organizations do to provide this service to their communities. She hopes to continue to aid in this endeavor in her role on the OMA board and is excited about other opportunities to help serve fellow museum professionals across Oregon.
Amanda Coven is 
At the Oregon Arts Commission, 
Heather Christenbury is the Interim Director and Curator of the Coos History Museum. She received her B.A. from the University of Colorado in the field of Anthropology. Heather moved on to complete archeological field school while living and working throughout Europe and Africa. After working for the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge, she returned to the U.S. and completed her M.A. in Museum Studies through the University of Oklahoma. Since that time, Heather has worked for a diverse range of museums and cultural institutions in the Denver area before most recently moving to Oregon. Heather specializes in inclusive interpretation collaborations with community partners and best practices related to collections management.
Janice Crane is the Executive Director of the Friends of the
Cascade Locks Historical Museum in the fabulous Columbia River Gorge. She entered
the museum industry in 2010 and has served in primarily operations and education
capacities. Janice’s Oregon museums career includes work at the Rice Northwest Museum
of Rocks and Minerals and the Washington County Museum (now Five Oaks Museum)
in Hillsboro, and the Douglas County Museum of Natural & Cultural History
in Roseburg. Originally from southwest Florida, Janice has an MA in Folklore
Studies with an emphasis in Historic Preservation from Western Kentucky
University and an MBA in Nonprofit Management from the University of
Portland.
Jennifer Fang is the Director of Interpretation and Community Engagement at Pittock Mansion and an adjunct professor at the University of Portland where she teaches Modern U.S. History and Asian American History. With a passion for historical interpretation and fostering community-centered values in cultural institutions, Jennifer has held roles at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Portland Children’s Museum, and the Portland Chinatown Museum over the course of her museum career. Jennifer earned a PhD in US History from the University of Delaware and specializes in race and immigration during the Cold War. She currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Oregon Historical Quarterly and the Board of Directors of the Western Museums Association.
Natascha is the Director of the Independence Heritage Museum, located in the historic hop capital of the world.Board member job description and volunteer application |
| Mailing Address: P.O. Box 8604, Portland, OR 97207 |
