Kudos Affiliates! August/September 2025 Edition

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Kudos to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.

FUNDING

The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Dubuque, IA) and the Dubuque Museum of Art (Dubuque, IA) were each awarded $23,850 in operating support from the City of Dubuque Arts and Cultural Affairs grant program. The Dubuque Museum of Art received an additional $8,000 through the Special Projects Grant Program. 

Celebrating the power of identity and belonging, the Nissan Foundation continued its commitment to community and cultural connection with grants to nonprofits across the United States this year including the following Affiliates: 

  • Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, CA) – to support 2025-2026 Family Festivals. 
  • Museum of Us (San Diego, CA) – to fund The Museum of Us: A Platform for the Diverse Voices of San Diego 
  • Arab American National Museum (Dearborn, MI) – to support Arab American Narratives: Education and Public Engagement 

The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation announced it has awarded the Dubuque Museum of Art (Dubuque, IA) and the Anchorage Museum (Anchorage, AK) $75,000 each as part of the Frankenthaler Climate Initiative, supporting the advancement of energy efficiency and clean energy projects. With the support, the Dubuque Museum of Art will install a heat recovery chiller on its new campus that will reduce the need for electrical power by 30% and natural gas consumption by 49% annually. The building will also include high performance and energy efficiency mechanical, and lighting systems and automated controls, systems commissioning, and photovoltaic readiness. The Anchorage Museum will install a rooftop solar array—its first major step toward net-zero operations by 2050. The system will reduce reliance on Anchorage’s natural gas grid, offset up to 131 metric tons of Scope 2 emissions annually, and generate an estimated $1.5 million in long-term energy savings. 

The Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP), a coalition of aquariums and zoos for aquatic conservation, received a two-year grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Debris Program to develop and implement a comprehensive digital and in-person public engagement campaign. This grant will provide seven member aquariums of ACP—including the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium (Dubuque, IA), with a $20,000 sub-award. These funds will be used to create and install educational and operational signage that highlights efforts to reduce plastic use and promote reusable systems. 

Engineering and construction firm Burns & McDonnell announced Saint Louis Science Center (St. Louis, MO) will receive $250,000 to enhance their Youth Exploring Science program, which supports students from underserved or traditionally underrepresented communities in STEM throughout their high school years, helping them build the knowledge and experience needed for in-demand STEM jobs. 

The Ball Brothers Foundation has awarded Conner Prairie Museum (Fishers, IN) $30,000 for the development of new nature programming for children and families as well as trail maintenance. 

The Adler Planetarium (Chicago, IL) has received a $1 million gift from the S&C Electric Company Fund to enhance its youth engagement programs in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. The funding will help Adler deepen its long-running commitment to providing hands-on, immersive learning experiences for young people from across the city. The Adler’s summer internships place Chicago teens in professional roles across the museum, learning professional communication and teamwork skills and gaining experience in space visualization and computer science. 

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity awarded Air Zoo Aerospace and Science Center (Portage, MI) an $819,200 grant to support organizational needs. 

The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (Boulder, CO) was awarded a $23.5 million contract to advance the Next-Generation Navy Environmental Prediction System Utilizing a Nonhydrostatic Engine, or NEPTUNE. The contract tasks UCAR with research and development to refine NEPTUNE, a system designed to deliver unparalleled weather forecasts for military operations. Unlike traditional weather models, NEPTUNE is built around a spectral element solver for the compressible, non-hydrostatic, deep-atmosphere equations of motion. 

LEADERSHIP

Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation for Arts and Crafts (Rancho Cucamonga, CA) announced Drew Oberjuerge as the new Executive Director. In this role, she will collaborate with foundation trustees, staff, and stakeholders to chart a new period of excellence and accessibility for the organization that stewards the historic residence and woodshop of Sam Maloof. 

Dr. Dina Bennett, Executive Director of the American Jazz Museum (Kansas City, MO), announced she will be stepping down from her role at the end of July. The Board of Directors will launch a national search for someone who can guide the museum through its next stage of growth and innovation. 

Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum has named retired naval aviator and former Blue Angels pilot John P. Hiltz as its first Chief Executive Officer. With over two decades of military experience and a passion for aviation history, Hiltz will lead the museum’s strategic growth, educational programs, and community engagement. 

Kudos Affiliates! Summer 2025 Edition

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Kudos to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.

FUNDING 

Durham Museum (Omaha, NE) was awarded a $4,000 grant from Humanities Nebraska to help support an exhibit of Aksarben gowns. 

Conner Prairie (Fishers, IN)) was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Indiana Destination Development Corporation. The funding will redefine how visitors view and use the Museum Experience Center through immersive and interactive experiences. The project includes Wellspring, which combines artwork and a playscape; two permanent galleries; and a changing gallery. 

Peoria Riverfront Museum (Peoria, IL) received a $200,000 digital accelerator grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, to complete a redesign and overhaul of the museum’s website. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION 

Science Museum Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, OK) received the Mayor’s Award for its sustainability features, including grounds’ pollinator areas, composting program, water reuse system, recycling efforts and more. Oklahoma City Beautiful Distinguished Service Awards recognize businesses, organizations and individuals who have helped improve the beauty and environmental health of Oklahoma City.   

 The National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Dubuque, IA) has been granted accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. 

Georgia Jipp: Blizzard Pilot, published by the South Dakota State Historical Society (Pierre, SD), has won the prestigious 2025 Spur Award for Best Western Children’s Picture Book, presented by the Western Writers of America. The Western Writers of America annually presents the Spur Awards to recognize distinguished writing about the American West. Georgia Jipp: Blizzard Pilot, written by Laura Beth Dean and illustrated by Jeanne Bowman, tells the true story of Georgia Hoyt Jipp and the courageous missions she flew to deliver aid during the historic winter storms of 1949. 

LEADERSHIP 

Ellen Noël Art Museum (Odessa, TX) named Nicole Herden as its new Executive Director. Herden is an accomplished museum executive with over 20 years of experience in leadership, curatorial practice, and institutional transformation. 

Staff Changes at Smithsonian Affiliations

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Natalie Wimberly (left) and Jennifer Brundage (right)

It’s Not Goodbye, It’s See You Later

Long-time Affiliations team members Jennifer Brundage and Natalie Wimberly have accepted new positions within the Smithsonian and will soon be embarking on the next phase of their careers. We sat down with them to ask a few questions and have them reflect on their time with Smithsonian Affiliations. Here’s the full interview and some fun photos from the past decade (or more!).

Tell us about your new role…

Natalie: I’m excited to be stepping into the role of Administrative Management Specialist at the National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) in the Repatriation Office. It’s quite the shift — from working closely with educational programs and community partnerships to supporting science-focused initiatives — but I’m looking forward to the challenge. Plus, who wouldn’t want to work near dinosaurs?

An African American woman with short hair and glasses holds a microphone while a Caucasian woman looks on smiling.
Natalie Wimberly and Penne Kirkpatrick leading a session at the 2024 Affiliate Directors’ Summit in Washington, D.C.

Jennifer: I will be co-leading the initiative to cultivate Regional Collaboratives within the Office of the Undersecretary for Education (OUSE), which will kick off in 2026 for the U.S. semiquincentennial. The challenge is to weave together the Institution’s many national partnerships and co-create sustainable collaborative frameworks with them that will mark new ways for the Smithsonian to be in service to communities for the next 250 years.

What will you miss about Affiliations?

A woman standing on one leg with one arm raised (hopping) stands under a sign that reads Welcome to the Heinz History Center, the Smithsonian's Home in Pittsburgh
Jennifer Brundage on one of her many visits to Affiliates. Here she’s at the Senator Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, PA.

Jennifer: Well…I won’t say ‘miss’ per se, because we already know how crucial Affiliates are to this new initiative. Working in Affiliations has taught me again and again about the power of relationships built on trust, candor and authenticity. I will bring that spirit of camaraderie and collaboration with me as our networks expand and intertwine. I also love when lines blur between professional and personal relationships. I feel lucky that so many Affiliate colleagues feel comfortable texting me, coming over to my place for dinner, cycling or sailing together and more. So many Affiliate colleagues are dear friends as well, and I’m grateful those bonds can continue. My email address and cell number remain the same!

Natalie: Oh, where do I start? I’ll definitely miss the day-to-day work of managing the membership program, handling procurement tasks by issuing funds to Affiliates for their program participation, and creating those annual Affiliate fee invoices (yes, even that!). But most of all, I’ll miss the incredible connections I’ve made with my colleagues and our Affiliate partners. Working alongside such passionate people has been the heart of my Affiliations experience.

An African American woman with short blonde hair and glasses holds a mobile phone to take a photo of the Ruby Slippers
Natalie Wimberly at the National Museum of American History during a Smithsonian Affiliations National Conference.

How do you hope to stay connected with Affiliations?

Natalie: I’m not venturing far — just a short walk across the National Mall — and I absolutely plan to stay connected. Whether it’s possibly collaborating on future projects, or perhaps exploring ways NMNH Human Dignity Team can engage with Affiliates, or just catching up at the next conference, I’m excited to keep those connections strong.

Jennifer: Luckily, my new desk is only 4 floors away from the Affiliations team, in the same building! As the Secretary always says, the Smithsonian’s greatest asset is its people. So true! And I maintain that the staff of Affiliations is a truly exceptional standout at the Institution. Their passion, work ethic, integrity, teamwork and relationship skills are second to none (and I’ve been here a loooong time.) I may be in another office, but I expect to see them all frequently in meetings and on the road, as we together craft an infrastructure of expanded outreach across the country.

Nicole Bryner will be transitioning back into the National Outreach Manager role and supporting the Affiliates in Jennifer’s portfolio. While we determine who the contact will be for Natalie’s projects—Affiliate Membership Program and invoicing—please email your National Outreach Manager or affiliates@si.edu. While we are sad to see Jennifer and Natalie go, we hope you’ll join us in wishing them luck in their new roles. See you soon, Jennifer and Natalie!

a large group of people sit around a conference table
The Affiliations team in 2023. A small, but mighty team working hard on behalf of our Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues to share their work nationwide.

Kudos Affiliates!! Happy New Year Edition

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Kudos to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.

FUNDING 

The Indiana Historical Society (Indianapolis, IN) announced it is the recipient of a more than $48,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. for the U.S.’ 250th anniversary in Indiana. The grant will allow IHS to develop an interpretive framework and resource list that connects Indiana history to the nation’s founding principles. The framework is designed to encourage conversations about America’s past, present and future and its progress. The project will be developed with input from a wide range of Indiana residents and organizations, including those from marginalized and under-represented communities. 

The Durham Museum (Omaha, NE) was one of several Nebraska organizations to receive part of a $200,000 Google donation to support community programs for Nebraskans. The Durham Museum will use the funding to support a student outreach initiative that will engage students and educators through virtual field trips, on-site field trips and other activities. 

LEADERSHIP 
 
The Board of Commissioners of the Saint Louis Science Center (St. Louis, MO) announced Dr. Ray Vandiver will succeed Todd Bastean as president and CEO of the organization. With more than three decades of experience leading science centers and museums, Vandiver joins the Science Center from the Discovery Lab in Tulsa, OK, where he served as the founding executive director for over 12 years. Vandiver will assume leadership of the Science Center on February 28, 2025. 

The Witte Museum (San Antonio, TX) Board of Trustees announced the appointment of Dr. Michelle Cuellar Everidge as CEO & president, beginning February 1, 2025. Rooted in San Antonio with a significant tenure at the Witte Museum, Dr. Everidge brings a unique combination of institutional knowledge, community connection and visionary leadership to this role. She succeeds Dirk Elmendorf, who stepped in as a transitional leader following the transformative legacy of Marise McDermott’s remarkable 20-year tenure. 

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem (New York, NY) shared Executive Director Tracy Hyter-Suffern will step down from her position on January 31, 2025. Tracy’s departure caps seven years of Tracy’s leadership, during which the Museum has celebrated a period of extraordinary growth and transformation and has reinforced its position as a leading cultural, educational and civic organization in the Harlem community, in New York City and worldwide. Susheel Kurien, who is deeply steeped in jazz, will serve as interim executive director until a permanent replacement is hired. 

C.J. Roberts, president and chief executive officer of the Tampa Bay History Center (Tampa, FL) has agreed to lead North Carolina’s statewide network of history museums. Roberts will oversee eight museums, including the flagship North Carolina Museum of History (Raleigh, NC). The center’s board of trustees will conduct a nationwide search for Roberts’ successor. 

The Museum of Sonoma County (Santa Rosa, CA) announced the appointment of Karen Wise as its new executive director. With a proven track record in museum leadership, community engagement, and strategic growth, Wise brings a wealth of experience to this vital role as the Museum enters its 40th anniversary year. 

2024, An Affiliate Recap

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It was an exciting year for collaboration and inspiration in so many communities! With the help of our Smithsonian Affiliates (find the Affiliate directory here), we brought the Smithsonian to communities across the country for an incredible year of collaboration, learning, and inspiration. Our Smithsonian Affiliates help connect Smithsonian initiatives with their local communities to help address many of the challenges we face. Our Affiliates are doing important and necessary work every day, and collaborating with the Smithsonian amplifies this incredible work. Here are a few highlights of Smithsonian-Affiliate engagements from 2024.


2024, An Affiliate Recap by Smithsonian Affiliations

A group of people take a selfie in front of a red brick building
High school Learning Center students and coordinator, Rockwell Museum educator and Smithsonian educators. The Rockwell Museum, Corning, NY.

National Youth Summits and the Youth Leadership Team

Since 2011, the National Museum of American History has collaborated with Smithsonian Affiliates to engage teens nationwide in the National Youth Summit program. Affiliate organizations serve as Regional Summits using content from the American History Museum and their own resources to engage local middle and high school students in discussions grounded in history and connected to current issues. In September 2024, a group of nine diverse Smithsonian Affiliates participated in the 2024 Summit exploring Elections & Politics.

Four Affiliates—Arab American National Museum (Dearborn, MI), The Rockwell Museum (Corning, NY), International Museum of Art and Science (McAllen, TX), and Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, CA)—were part of a pilot Youth Leadership Team. This project, funded by a Smithsonian Together We Thrive grant, aimed to enhance teen advocacy and agency in the Summits. The goal was to center youth voices in the planning and development of Summit programming. Twelve teenagers were recruited to discuss democracy, social justice and national issues faced by teens today. Throughout the planning, students met with Smithsonian and Affiliate staff virtually and traveled to Washington, D.C., in August to meet with Smithsonian experts and fellow team members.

Since 2011, the National Museum of American History has collaborated with Smithsonian Affiliates to engage teens nationwide in the National Youth Summit program. Affiliate organizations serve as Regional Summits using content from the American History Museum and their own resources to engage local middle and high school students in discussions grounded in history and connected to current issues. In September 2024, a group of nine diverse Smithsonian Affiliates participated in the 2024 Summit exploring Elections & Politics.

African American Craft Initiative

Courtesy City Lore

Three Affiliates —City Lore (New York, NY), Michigan State University Museum (East Lansing, MI), and Orange County Regional History Museum (Orlando, FL)—were selected to participate in the African American Craft Initiative. The project from the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage aims to expand the visibility of underrepresented elder African American artisans and safeguard their stories. The project is meant to build relationships among artists, elders, and youth within their local communities.

The Affiliate Learning Hub

A screen grab of the Learning Excursions page

In 2024 we launched the Learning Hub, which includes individual Learning Excursions that help Affiliate leadership and their teams think about their work today and into the future. These Excursions inspire Affiliates to continually think about ways they can work together and with the Smithsonian.

Affiliate staff can take a deeper dive into these Excursions:

  • Essentials: For new and existing Affiliates to take a deeper dive into community engagement, collaboration and relationship building, and more
  • Affiliate Stories: Modules to enhance your collaborative efforts, build leadership skills, and showcase your impact.
  • Tools for Action: Download reflection guides and toolkits to facilitate ongoing learning and skill development.

See Me at the Smithsonian Professional Development Training

four people participate in a workshop at an art museum
Courtesy Access Smithsonian

In 2024, Access Smithsonian offered a hybrid professional development training series for the creation and implementation of programming for adults living with dementia and their care partners. Twenty-eight Smithsonian Affiliates were selected to participate. The training presented Affiliate staff with tools and strategies for adapting the See Me at the Smithsonian model at their organizations.

See Me at the Smithsonian has made it possible for people with dementia and their care partners to continue to enjoy Smithsonian museums, engage with the Smithsonian’s most beloved objects, sustain lifelong learning, and connect with and contribute to a larger community.

Participants of the 2024 Affiliate Directors’ Summit. Courtesy Jeremy Norwood for Smithsonian Affiliations

Affiliate Directors’ Summit

In November, the Smithsonian Affiliations team hosted its first in-person gathering for Affiliates since 2019. The Affiliate Directors’ Summit brought together 41 Affiliate leaders in Washington, D.C., to network with and learn from each other and Smithsonian leadership. Participants identified actionable strategies for new or enhanced collaborations that extend and deepen our collective impact. Prior to the in-person gathering, Affiliate leadership joined a special virtual meeting with Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G Bunch III.

In all, Affiliates were involved in more than 800 engagements with the Smithsonian during 2024. Thank you to the entire Smithsonian Affiliations team for your continued excellence in facilitating Affiliate-Smithsonian relationships and guiding so many collaborations from idea to implementation. We wish our Affiliate and Smithsonian colleagues a wonderful holiday season and look forward to 2025 collaborations!

Thinking about how you can collaborate in 2025? Contact your National Outreach Manager or email Affiliates@si.edu and let’s brainstorm!

Kudos Affiliates!! Year End 2024

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Kudos to these Affiliates on their recent accomplishments! Do you have kudos to share? Please send potential entries to Aaron Glavas, GlavasC@si.edu.

FUNDING

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (Dubuque, IA) has received a $20,000 Cultural Leadership Partners Program Operating Support Grant. This grant will support the River Museum’s ongoing efforts to advance inclusion for visitors and staff. With support from the Cultural Leadership Partners program, the River Museum is now a KultureCity Sensory Inclusive Certified Facility. Features include sensory bags, free to check out at the box office, filled with tools to reduce stimuli and help navigate the museum for those with sensory-processing needs. Funding will also support sensory days programming that provides a sensory-friendly environment including dimmed lighting, limited ambient sounds, and no distracting exhibit motions during these public events.

Kenosha Public Museums Foundation (Kenosha, WI) received an annual grant from The Green Bay Packers Foundation to support the Weaving Cultural and Environmental Narratives: Honoring Native Women and Protecting Our Waters exhibition.

The Indiana Youth Institute awarded $20,000 to Conner Prairie (Fishers, IN) to focus on gaps/needs in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and/or trauma-informed workplaces and are working to improve workplace conditions for youth workers.

History Colorado (Denver, CO) received a $164,000 grant from the Historic Preservation Fund. This funding will be matched by History Colorado to update geothermal heating systems and make various buildings at Fort Garland Museum and Cultural Center more energy efficient.

The Indiana Historical Society (Indianapolis, IN) is the recipient of a $48,653 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., which will directly fund a planning framework for the United States’ 250th anniversary in Indiana. The grant will help Indiana’s commemoration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence by enabling the IHS to develop an interpretive framework and resource list that connects Indiana history to the nation’s founding principles. The framework will be made available to interested historical, cultural and community organizations to aid in local planning and programming efforts related to the United States’ semi-quincentennial in 2026.

The Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission approved 28 Historical & Archival Records Care grants totaling $152,571 to support crucial efforts to preserve Pennsylvania’s invaluable historical records and make them accessible to residents across the Commonwealth, including Senator John Heinz History Center (Pittsburgh, PA) – $4,994, and Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor – $4,500 (Easton, PA)

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Dr. Takashi Hoshizaki, a founding member of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation (Powell, WY), received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation during a ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum (Los Angeles, CA). Dr. Hoshizaki was recognized for his contributions to U.S.-Japanese relations, his leadership in creating the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation and for his career in the space program.

The American Alliance of Museums announced 25 reaccreditation awards made at the October 2024 meeting of the Accreditation Commission. The following Affiliates received re-accreditation:

The Association of Science and Technology Centers honored eight member organizations, including two Affiliates, with the Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Organizational Award:

  • Denver Museum of Nature and Science (Denver, CO) was honored for The Institute for Science & Policy, which is part community engagement and part think tank. The Institute enables the museum to tackle “wicked problems”—those which can be difficult to define, complex, and with no clear solutions—in a way that centers community perspectives. Tackling such issues as water scarcity, energy transition, climate change, and misinformation, the Institute has leveraged the museum’s strong reputation as a trusted convener to engage a broad group of stakeholders includes journalists and policymakers.
  • The Wild Center (Tupper Lake, NY) for the development of their Youth Climate Program into a replicable program that is having a real impact on global climate discussions and on the youth who participate. The Wild Center has helped facilitate over 200 climate summits in nine countries and in much of the United States. These conference-style events kickstart youth-led projects by focusing on the knowledge and skills needed for effective climate change leadership. They have helped youth from around the world to build confidence and competence as climate leaders, empowered them to develop Climate Action Plans for their schools, and connected them with local government to create more climate-resilient communities—all while centering and involving the youth in all aspects of planning and implementation.

LEADERSHIP

Whatcom Museum (Bellingham, WA) Executive Director Patricia Leach announced she will retire March 31, 2025. She has been at the helm of the museum for the past 17 years and has enjoyed a 42-year career at the executive director level.

The Board of Trustees of The Rockwell Museum (Corning, NY) announced the appointment of Erin M. Coe as the new executive director, effective January 1, 2025. With decades of experience as a museum leader, curator, educator and arts advocate, Coe brings a wealth of expertise and vision to The Rockwell as it advances its position as a destination and community resource for American art and culture.