2025 Conference Program

Common Threads

Chelan,WA

June 9 – June 11, 2025

Tentative Schedule – Subject to change

June 9, 2025 – Pre-Conference Workshops:

11:00am – 1:00pm

Workshop: Out of Many, One: Engaging your community in America 250

Moderator: Allison Campbell, Local History Services, Washington State Historical Society

Panelists:

Dylan High, Statewide Partnerships Coordinator, Washington State Historical Society

Aletheia Wittman, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Officer, Washington State Historical Society

Lorraine Ralston, America250 Coordinator, Washington State Historical Society

Participating in America 250: WSHS staff will outline several statewide initiatives planned for 2026 that museums can choose to participate in.

Know Your Community: This workshop is designed to help organizations expand their work to serve more diverse audiences through a deeper understanding of their institutional history and the demographics of their community today.

Connect with Your Community: This session will provide examples of ways small history organizations can better connect with their communities using strategies that are engaging and relevant to diverse audiences.

Listen to Your Community: This workshop will introduce organizations to the basics of community survey and evaluation work, including the structure, tools, and framework to help them collect good data and build rapport within their community.

11:00am – 12:30pm

Workshop: MOPOP’s Accessibility Journey

Presenter(s): Jacob McMurray, Chief Collections + Exhibitions Officer, Museum of Pop Culture

The Museum of Pop Culture has spent 25 years experimenting in the museum space. Founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and housed in an iconic Frank Gehry-designed building, it has evolved from a Jimi Hendrix Museum to the Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum, and finally, MOPOP. With a new mission, vision, and strategic plan, MOPOP is working to become more inclusive and accessible for visitors and staff. These efforts span every aspect of the museum, from front of house to behind the scenes. Chief Collections + Exhibitions Officer Jacob McMurray will share MOPOP’s accessibility journey—past efforts, current strategies, successes, challenges, and future goals.

1:30pm – 3:30pm

Workshop: Strengthening Community Bonds through Events

Presenter(s): Lisa Jackson, Museum Director, Suquamish Museum

In this engaging session, Lisa will share her secrets to creating memorable events that leave attendees proud and connected to their community. Attendees will walk away with a clear roadmap to plan successful events from start to finish, equipped with a “to-do” list that they can apply to any event. With Lisa’s experience in planning 3-day Festivals, Parades, Conferences, and Fundraisers, this session is perfect for anyone interested in event planning, nonprofit management, or preserving cultural heritage through engaging, purpose-driven events.

1:30pm – 3:30pm

Workshop: Top Tips for Exhibits

Presenter(s): Chris Erlich, Independent Curator

Award winning independent curator Chris Erlich will share her “Top Tips” for creating great exhibits, even on a shoestring budget. The resulting exhibits are easy for visitors to navigate and understand, pleasing to the eye, and give you the most bang for your buck. Using examples and demonstrations, she’ll show how planning and practice yield results. Featured methods and techniques covered include design basics, making labels, producing simple audio and video, and creating playful manipulatives.

5pm – 7pm Welcoming Reception

Tuesday June 10^th, 2025

9:30 – 11:30 am Introductions & Keynote

12:00 – 1:30 pm Advocacy Lunch

1:45 – 3:00 pm

Session 1: Bring me a hire love: HR Basics for Museums

Presenter(s): Dylan High, Statewide Partnerships Coordinator, Washington State Historical Society

Jo Wolf, Executive Director, Skagit County Historical Museum

Aletheia Wittman, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Officer, Washington State Historical Society

Michael Ide, HR Generalist, National Nordic Museum

Interns, contractors, employees, oh my! In this session, we’ll discuss some basic HR practices and tips for bringing new talent onboard at your organization. Whether you have never had a paid employee or are thinking of revisiting your existing HR procedures, this session will focus on practical solutions for recruitment, onboarding, payroll, timesheets, and more.

Session 2: Turning Crisis into Opportunity: A Journey in Exhibition Creation

Presenter(s): Morganne Pockels, Collections Manager, Columbia Gorge Museum

Louise Palermo, Executive Director, Columbia Gorge Museum

In late 2023, an unexpected leak in Columbia Gorge Museum’s (CGM) basement storage prompted a deep dive into the museum’s neglected collections. What began as a crisis revealed itself to be a unique opportunity to reimagine CGM’s exhibitions as well as its collections care and community engagement strategies.

This session will explore how CGM staff turned an emergency into a pivotal moment for transformation. With minimal resources but maximum determination, the team addressed long-standing challenges including pest infestations, roof repairs, unsafe storage spaces, and lack of reliable documentation. Discover how the uncovering of artifacts from the Baron Eugene Fersen Collection- including a 10-foot portrait by renowned Latvian artist, Janis Rozentals, inspired the museum’s most significant exhibition to date.

Attendees will learn about the process of creating Svetozar: The Early Life of Baron Eugene Fersen, which opened at CGM in October 2024. The session covers cleaning and cataloging artifacts, conducting historical research, engaging with the community, and designing an exhibition on a limited budget and time frame. Gain insights into how small museums can turn challenges into opportunities, ensuring collections are preserved and stories are shared for generations to come.

Session 3: Building Bridges: Strengthening Partnerships Between Museums and Indigenous Communities

Presenter(s): Robin Little Wing Sigo, Executive Director, Suquamish Foundation

Lisa Jackson, Director, Suquamish Museum

Korum Bischoff, Executive Director, Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Museums are increasingly called to build deeper, more meaningful partnerships with Indigenous communities. But how do these relationships grow from initial conversations into lasting collaborations? Connected by a bridge, this session explores the journey of partnership between two neighboring communities, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) and the Suquamish Tribe, focusing on the challenges, successes, and lessons learned along the way.

Panelists will discuss:

- Building Trust: How to approach Indigenous communities with humility, openness, and respect.
- Creating Inclusive Partnerships: Moving from personal relationships to institutional collaborations that amplify Indigenous voices.
- Sustaining Long-Term Connections: How to maintain relationships beyond individual events or exhibitions.
- Challenges and Triumphs: Honest reflections on the obstacles and successes of working together.

This session will provide valuable insights for museum professionals and anyone interested in fostering authentic, respectful partnerships with Indigenous communities, offering practical advice for turning good intentions into lasting, impactful collaboration.

Session 4: Confidence-building for Disaster and Climate Resiliency Planning

Presenter(s): Allison Campbell, Heritage Outreach Manager, Washington State Historical Society

Sarah Sutton, CEO, Environment & Culture Partners

Danielle Sakowski, Program Manager, Environment & Culture Partners

From burst pipes to more extreme and frequent weather events, museums are planning for it all. It can feel overwhelming, yet museums have the power, tools, and partnership to overcome the anxiety and take action. In this session you’ll learn the components of a successful emergency response plan, as well as the kinds of response resources and networks available to museums locally. Then you’ll learn how to assess your local climate risks, build a climate resilience strategy, and minimize damage from climate-related events with the Climate Resilience Resources for Cultural Heritage toolkit. There will also be a discussion on forming your own emergency response network and building climate resilience planning partnerships.

3:15 – 4:30 pm

Session 1: Everything Old is New Again

Presenter(s): Tara McCauley, Executive Director, Jefferson County Historical Society

Marriah Thornock, Executive Director, Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

This session features perspectives from two Washington museums at various stages of large-scale capital projects to reimagine their museum buildings, exhibitions, and public spaces to better serve their communities. From initial idea to concept development, planning, design, fundraising, and implementation, presenters will share how community involvement is at the core of this work.

The Jefferson County Historical Society is reimagining the Museum of Art + History to utilize the entire museum as one large, flexible exhibition space where all exhibitions will focus around one main topic each year, exploring that theme through art, archive materials, and historic collections. The Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center is reimagining their exhibits, spaces, and processes to connect people to history, art, science, and culture in ways that broaden perspectives and offer new experiences.

Join the directors at the helm on these exciting projects for a lively discussion about working with and for the community to bring new visions to life.

Session 2: Empowering Youth Through Culture and Trust

Presenter(s): Lisa Jackson, Museum Director, Suquamish Museum

This engaging talk will delve into the vital role of cultural arts, interactive icebreakers, and innovative educational strategies in empowering youth. Attendees will gain valuable insights into how these elements foster connection and trust, both among young people and with their communities. Key takeaways include a list of strategies to be implemented in your community, transform traditional teaching methods to enhance trust and connection, understand the power of ice breakers, effectively engage with youth, and build community trust. By the end of this talk, attendees will leave with a clear understanding of how to create a nurturing environment that empowers youth through culture, fosters trust, and strengthens community connections.

Session 3: Cross-Pollination: Supporting Early-Career Professionals Collaboration in Museums

Moderator: Victoria Shim, Collections Assistant, Museum of Pop Culture

Panelists: Anna Cavagnaro, Exhibits Fabricator, Museum of Pop Culture

Amanda Diaz, Exhibits Graphic Designer, Museum of Pop Culture

Shuprima Guha, Curatorial Assistant, Museum of Pop Culture

We discuss the importance of early-career museum professionals helping and learning from each other in our roundtable, composed of peers from MOPOP’s Design, Collection, Exhibits, and Curatorial team. We illustrate how each person collaborates across teams with fellow early-career coworkers, highlighting the successes and learning experiences that have bolstered our efficiencies and improved work dynamics.

In this roundtable, we talk about creating such collaboration opportunities and developing projects that allow early-career peers to build working relationships. We relieve pressure from our supervisors (who are conventionally held as point people for the department), saving everyone additional time. We discuss the changing workplace dynamics for early-career peers and have an honest discussion of how people more tenured in the field can support us. Alongside, as the museum field becomes increasingly diverse, we support DEIA initiatives by creating open dialogue, letting people bring their individuality into the workplace without being tokenized.

In the end, we believe all exhibits are collaborative and reflect each other’s work. As the future of museums, we want to open the floor to questions listeners have not only about collaboration, but also about how young professionals can be supported in museums.

Session 4: America250: Hoorah or Nah? Meeting your community where they’re at

Moderator: Dylan High, Statewide Partnerships Coordinator, Washington State Historical Society

Panelists: Natasha Varner, Heritage Program Manager, 4Culture

Nancy Salguro-McKay, Executive Director, Highline Heritage Museum

Allison Campbell, Local History Services, Washington State Historical Society

Polly Olsen, Director, DEAI & Decolonization and Tribal Liaison, Burke Museum

The American semiquincennential (America250) in 2026 offers opportunities for both celebration of the history of the country as well as reflection on the negative consequences our history continues to have on certain communities today. What role can history & heritage organizations play in providing opportunities to celebrate while also including and honoring other perspectives that complicate our shared history? How do we communicate about these events with a range of audiences in mind? Join us for a discussion and ideas-sharing session on engaging your community in the nuances of history.

5:00 – 6:00 pm Emerging Museum Professionals Social Hour/Mixer

6:00 – 8:00 pm Awards Banquet (pre-paid tickets required)

Wednesday, June 11^th, 2025

8:00-9:00 – Heritage Breakfast Gathering

9:00 – 10:15 am

Session 1: Digital Preservation and Metadata: Best Practices for Collection Management

Presenter(s): Sam Rintoul, Mnemosyne Archives

Digital Preservation and Metadata are vital to museums and archives alike, but why? Whether you are new to the world of digital preservation and metadata and not confident of the exact role they play in your institution, or a seasoned professional just looking to brush up on current and best practices, there is something in this session for everyone.

Together we will explore two important topics for museums and archives: Digital Preservation and Metadata Management. Digital Preservation: from the basics to best practices, and the challenges and benefits of digitizing collections. Metadata: what is metadata and the role it plays in collections, accessibility through metadata and best practices for metadata. This session will include fruit snacks and a hands-on activity.

Session 2: Serving Workers and Communities: Union Campaigns at Two Washington Museums

Presenter(s): Erika Bentley Holland, Washington Museum Association

Josh Davis, Seattle Art Museum Visitor Services Officers Union

Tahlía Segura, Seattle Art Museum Visitor Services Officers Union

Marce Soto-Ramirez, Seattle Art Museum Visitor Services Officers Union

Kato Lujan Camacho, Tacoma Art Museum Workers Union

Steve Rue, Tacoma Art Museum Workers Union

Kellz Moylan, Tacoma Art Museum Workers Union

Museums are cultural cornerstones, yet their workers often face low pay, poor working conditions, and limited advancement opportunities. Unions empower workers to advocate for fair wages, better working conditions, and greater transparency.

Museum workers have been unionizing in waves since 2020 according to Museums Moving Forward data. This trend is exemplified by two local examples: Seattle Art Museum and Tacoma Art Museum.

SAM Visitor Services Officers Union’s experience demonstrates the power of organizing. Facing resistance from management and the Board, they launched an independent union campaign. While going independent limited their resources, it strengthened workers’ resolve and unity. Their campaign focused on fair pay and benefits and expanding workplace democracy.

The pandemic intensified preexisting, systemic issues at Tacoma Art Museum. After significant layoffs, mostly frontline staff, they continued to suffer from staff departures. TAM Workers United joined with the growing national movement of museum workers in Cultural Workers United. After a year-long campaign focused on equity and diversity, TAMWU became Washington’s first multi-department art museum union.

Underpaid, overworked staff is a barrier that keeps institutions from serving communities effectively. SAM VSO Union and TAMWU’s stories show positive change is possible when workers build relationships and collaborate.

Session 3: Building Partnerships with Tribal Institutions

Presenter(s): Mytyl Hernandez, Hibulb Cultural Center, Tulalip Tribes

Emilie Miller, Senior Curator, Hibulb Cultural Center, Tulalip Tribes

Historically, Tribal Museums and perspectives have been excluded from discussions regarding tribal history and culture as told by non-Tribal Institutions. Although much of history can be found online, you cannot accurately tell the history of Washington State and its Indigenous Peoples without the input of its local tribes.

Building partnerships between non-Tribal Institutions and Tribal Museums is vital for sharing stories and histories. This lecture will give tips and tricks to build long lasting relationships with Tribal Institutions. Strong and long-lasting relationships are necessary to achieve mutual goals and to ensure the needs of both institutions are met.

We count on the commitment and partnerships between Tribal and non-Tribal institutions throughout the state and country to dismantle the colonization of Tribal materials and histories. Building new partnerships ensures the proper representation of Tribal History, while allowing the opportunity for Tribes to tell their own story.

Session 4: Threads that built countries: lace and lacemaking tying together communities

Presenter(s): Louise Palermo, Executive Director, Columbia Gorge Museum

In discovering boxes of lace in our collection storage, we realized this important economic contribution has been overlooked and taken for granted by history. Lace has been an historical indicator of wealth and power from the 15th century to the early pioneer days of our state. This session introduces the economic contribution, primarily but not exclusively, by women in the lace-making industry. It also introduces a 2026 initiative that will bring world-renown lace-makers to the region to re-introduce this historical industry and express contemporary stories. Learn how you can bring this to your museum and partner with us on creating a large-scale lace installation that teaches lace-making and creates a visual story of the Columbia River Gorge. Participating is Maggie Hensel-Brown (https://www.maggiehenselbrown.com/) and Sonia Kasparian (Project Runway Season 17) as well as Washington-wide lace guilds.

10:30 – 11:45am

Session 1: TBD

Session 2: Same Thread, Different Garments: Using Art and Inquiry to Create Belonging

Presenter(s): Lindsey Newton, School Program Manager, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture

Dillyn Adamo, Learning and Engagement Coordinator, Museum of Northwest Art

In this interactive session, participants will hear from two educators from museums on different sides of the state, as we explore how art and inquiry are used to create belonging in their unique communities. MoNA and the MAC both use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) in their school partnership programs to foster engagement between students and the museum’s mission and values, but they apply the VTS methodology in different ways that are adapted to their contexts and goals. VTS is a research-based, international teaching method that uses works of art to support observation, creative and critical thinking, listening, and communication skills in all students. In VTS, visual art is the catalyst for complex thinking, cooperative learning, and language development.

For MoNA, the emphasis is on art integration in K-12 classrooms, which closely aligns with their mission ‘to integrate art into the lives of all people.’ For the MAC, whose school partnership program has pushed the VTS method into new content areas, the emphasis is on curriculum alignment to keep it a steady and heavily used method for teachers. Both institutions see VTS as a powerful tool. We will explore how inquiry-based methodologies can be used to foster community, learn how museums of different scales can use VTS within school partnerships, and continue to ask, ‘What more can we find?’ as we engage our audiences.

Session 3: Weaving the Common Threads of Washington Museums, Libraries, and Archives

Presenter(s): Sharon Streams, Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (University of Washington iSchool)

Brandon Locke, Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (University of Washington iSchool)

Prof. Lane Eagles, University of Washington iSchool Museology Program

Did you know that the University of Washington’s Museum Studies graduate program joined the Information School in 2023? Did you know that the school launched the Center for Advances in Libraries, Museums, and Archives (CALMA) in 2024? These exciting developments provide a unique foundation here in Washington for growing a stronger sense of community and collaboration among our region’s museums, libraries, archives, and the university. In turn, those connections can be applied toward addressing research questions, student learning, professional development, emerging practices, and societal trends that impact us all. This session will share results from a study on research topics that span across cultural heritage and memory institutions, and will bring working examples of cross-sector partnerships between the Information School and museums. This will be followed by an interactive discussion of attendees’ vision of strong collaboration with libraries, archives, and the university; and what their hopes and fears around having such a community may be.

Session 4: Building the Right Team for Exhibit Development