Peter Kukla, Board President, Conference Committee Chair
Willamette Valley
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, Board Secretary
The Coast
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 which ultimately led to her current position at the Coos History Museum in Coos Bay, OR. 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, Board Member, Membership Chair
Portland Metro
Amanda Coven is the Director of Education at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. She leads the museum in developing dynamic programs for diverse audiences across the state of Oregon, trains volunteers to engage visitors, students, and community groups in conversational and thought provoking programs, and facilitates professional development opportunities for educators. Amanda helped draft the content for Oregon’s Holocaust and Genocide bill (SB664), and since its unanimous passing, works closely with the State Department of Education to prepare educators for its implementation.
Eleanor Sandys, Board Member
Portland Metro
At the Oregon Arts Commission, Eleanor serves as Visual Arts Coordinator, managing the state's Percent for Art in Public Places Program and grant programs for individual artists, as well as continuing to fulfill her previous position as collections manager for the Oregon's public art collection. Over the course of her career, Eleanor has worked and interned at a variety of arts and cultural organizations, including SCRAP PDX, FOR-SITE Foundation, Japanese Museum of Oregon, Portland Chinatown Museum, Portland Japanese Garden, Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley, the Museum of Contemporary Craft and the San Francisco Arts Commission. Eleanor has a Master’s in Museum Studies from John F. Kennedy University and a bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology from Reed College. She believes in the power of museums and the arts to present diverse experiences, generate critical conversations and encourage new perspectives.
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Janice Crane, Board Treasurer
Mt Hood/The Gorge
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.
Katie Williams, Board Vice President, Programs Committee Co-chair
Portland Metro
Katie Williams is the Senior Manager - Education & Programs at Pittock Mansion. Most recently, she served as the Education Manager at World of Speed Motorsports Museum in Wilsonville, OR. Prior to joining World of Speed, Katie was the Education Manager at the Northwest African American Museum in Seattle, where she also served as the Programs Officer for the Museum Educators of Puget Sound. Katie earned her MA in Museum Studies from John F. Kennedy University and her BA in Art History from Lewis & Clark College and has completed internships at the Wing Luke Asian Museum, Oakland Museum of California, and the Asian Art Museum.
Jennifer Fang, Board Member, DEAI Committee Chair
Portland Metro 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.
Zachary Stocks, Board Member, Programs Committee Co-ChairThe Coast Zachary Stocks is the Executive Director of Oregon Black Pioneers and
lives and works in Astoria. Zachary has 10 years experience as a public
historian and museum professional and has interpreted Pacific Northwest
History at
Historical Seaport, Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, and the
Northwest African American Museum before coming to Oregon Black
Pioneers. He has a BA in History from the College of William & Mary
and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington.
Natascha Adams, Board memberWillamette Valley
Natascha is the Director of the Independence Heritage Museum, located in the historic hop capital of the world.
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.
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