In addition to our core faculty and staff, we benefit from the wisdom of guest faculty. They bring a diverse perspective and allow our students to gain exposure to a wide variety of disciplines.
Jeanine Ancelet
Principal, Audience Focus (Museum-based Evaluation and Research)
jancelet@uw.edu
What inspires me
New discoveries; questioning the unknown; noticing the small threads that connect people, places, animals, ideas, and theories; natural wonders; people who stand up for others; wit and satire; a good fantasy novel.
Background
Jeanine Ancelet is the principal and co-founder of Audience Focus and has over 15 years of experience directing a research and evaluation projects for leading museums and cultural organizations across the country. In her role as Principal at Audience Focus, she provides a range of services for museums and cultural organizations, including strategic and interpretive planning, concept development, audience research, exhibition and program evaluation, and basic and applied research. She also facilitates hands-on workshops related to evaluation skill-building and evaluative thinking with learners of all levels for individual museums and through professional organizations, like the Visitor Studies Association, American Alliance of Museums, and National Art Education Association, and the Museum Computer Network. She is a regular speaker at national conferences and guest lecturer at the George Washington University, Bank Street School of Education, Towson University, and Georgetown University. She holds degrees in Anthropology and English from the University of Indiana and a master’s degree in museum studies from the University College London’s Institute for Archaeology. In her spare time, you can find her in nature serving as a Maryland Master Naturalist and Audubon Habitat Advisor.
Specializations
Audience research, exhibition and program evaluation, basic and applied research, strategic and interpretive planning
Publications
Adams, M., Forbes, J., & Ancelet, J., (2022) Curiosity, Wonder, and Play: Creating Family Spaces in Art Museums. American Alliance of Museums & Rowman & Littlefield
Luke, J. & Ancelet, J. (2014) The Role of Evaluation in Reimagining the Art Museum. Journal of Museum Education, 39(2).
Sarah Brenkert, M.S.Ed.
Principal Evaluator, Seattle Aquarium
brenkert@uw.edu
What inspires me
When I was 10, my family took a trip to San Francisco. Somewhere between wandering Fisherman’s Wharf and riding a cable car, we visited the Exploratorium — one of the first “hands-on” science centers in the country. I was delighted by the intriguing exhibits and phenomena, but beyond that, I was astounded that a place like the Exploratorium existed. I was a shy, nerdy kid growing up in a small town and feeling very much alone. My school, my neighborhood, all seemed to be telling me that being smart and curious was at best, an oddity, and at worst, a social defect. Visiting the Exploratorium – this sanctuary celebrating intellectual curiosity – opened a world of possibility to me. From that trip, I carried home two treasures: 1) a huge drawing made with neon markers and a pendulum and 2) the seed of an idea: that I didn’t need to change who I was to be okay.
I will never stop feeling grateful to the Exploratorium for helping that lonely, awkward kid see that she wasn’t broken. And I love free-choice learning spaces like museums and zoos and science centers for that reason – because they hold the power to lift up ideas, to welcome us in and meet us where we’re at – and remind us that as we struggle in our humanness to create, understand and make meaning of the world, we are not alone.
Background
My background is in early childhood education and cognitive development, and for the last 15 years have worked in informal learning settings as an exhibit designer, educator and evaluator. Since 2019, I’ve been the Principal Evaluator at the Seattle Aquarium; I also consult as an independent evaluator for non-profit organizations and formerly worked in education and evaluation at the Children’s Museum of Denver and at Denver Zoo. I am insatiably curious about how and what people learn and feel when they spend time in zoos, aquariums, museums and science centers.
Specializations
My areas of interest include early childhood and family learning, exhibit design, affective and cognitive outcomes, and how free-choice learning experiences intersect with dimensions of identity. I get excited about participatory evaluation methods and am deeply committed to equitable, anti-racist and culturally responsive evaluation.
Caitlin Oiye Coon
Archives Director, Densho
oiye@uw.edu
What inspires me
Empowering communities to tell and preserve their own stories.
Background
I graduated from the University of Washington with a BA in History. I also have an MA in History/Archives and Records Management from Western Washington University and an MLIS from San Jose State University. Over the past 15 years I have experience as an archivist, with a specific interest in community-based archives and the impact of technology in the archival profession. At Densho I currently manage the archives program where I oversee a team dedicated to preservation and access to historical materials and oral histories through digital technologies.
Specializations
Archives, Digital Preservation, Community-based Archives, Donor Relations
Nicholas Dorman
Jane Lang Davis Chief Conservator, Seattle Art Museum
dorman2@uw.edu
What inspires me
MANY things inspire me- friends and family, and my dog, nature, gardening, bees, books, travel, music- all the usual things! Challenges inspire me- as does building something: The charge to establish SAM’s conservation program and our Neukom conservation studio drew me here; many amazing projects since then kept things interesting. The big inspiration is the art. Each painting unfolds over time, sometimes quietly, sometimes in incredible ways, during the course of conservation. That special encounter with the art, and with the tools and materials, is a privilege, as is knowing that your work will benefit current and future audiences.
Background
I grew up in England and loved going to museums as a kid (Bowes Museum, British Museum, and I always remember the costumed fleas at the Natural History Museum at Tring). After my Master’s studies, I moved abroad to the Alte Pinakothek in Munich for several years, to the Met in New York, to a collective studio in Amsterdam, and back to Munich, before founding SAM’s conservation department in 2001. SAM has grown so much since then, and it is wonderful to have played a part in building a team and a program and helping to raise the profile of conservation at SAM and in the region. Recent fun projects include establishing the new Tateuchi Asian paintings conservation studio at the Asian Art Museum and building a new X-radiography facility at SAM.
Specializations
I oversee the conservation team and preservation activities at SAM and I’m a paintings conservator. I work on easel paintings, from old masters to contemporary works.
Publications
Renaissance Art in Focus- Neri di Bicci and Devotional Painting in Italy. Exhibition catalog co-authored with Elizabeth Darrow, introduction by Chiyo Ishikawa, Seattle Art Museum, 2004.
Earthquake Mitigation at the Seattle Art Museum, J. Paul Getty Museum, 2007.A Slightly Odd-Shaped Room. The Italian Room at the Seattle Art Museum; Collaborating to get the Job Done, with James Boorstein, AIC Wooden Artifacts Group Postprints, 2008.
Materials, Technique, and the Master’s Hand: The Seattle Venus and Adonis, with Katie Patton from Paolo Veronese: A Master and His Workshop in Renaissance Venice. Edited by Virginia Brilliant and Frederick Ilchman, Ringling Museum, Sarasota, 2012.
Reviews of Cleaning Acrylic Painted Surfaces, and Conserving Canvas conferences, Western Association for Art Conservation newsletter, 2013, 2019.
Adam Eisenberg
Adjunct professor & freelance journalist
eisena@uw.edu
What inspires me
Our museology students inspire me every day with their quirky curiosity, incredible smarts, and sense of adventure. I mean, really, they’re studying museums — that is a great adventure in itself! I also gain inspiration from our discussions about ethics and how we should care for the world’s cultural property. Since there is no one right answer, I am fascinated by our ongoing effort to find a correct one.
Background
Adam Eisenberg is a former Seattle Municipal Court judge, and the author of A Different Shade of Blue: How Women Changed the Face of Police Work. Before taking the bench, Judge Eisenberg was a criminal prosecutor, a civil trial attorney, an advocate on mental health and domestic violence issues, and a Los Angeles-based entertainment journalist. His writings include behind-the-scenes coverage of “Ghostbusters I and II,” “Terminator,” “Gremlins,” “Return of the Jedi” and two “Indiana Jones” films; and he has interviewed such Hollywood notables as George Lucas, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg and James Cameron. His work has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, The Denver Post, Los Angeles Daily News, San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle Weekly, Twilight Zone Magazine, American Cinematographer, Cinefantastique and Cinefex.
Specializations
Art and cultural property law; the law and ethics of collections; museums and the First Amendment
Publications
A Different Shade of Blue: How Women Changed the Face of Police Work
Geneva Griswold
Associate Objects Conservator, Seattle Art Museum
ggris542@uw.edu
What inspires me
Nature, collaborating with others, artists at work
Background
Geneva (she/her) is the Associate Objects Conservator at the Seattle Art Museum where she focuses on the preservation of SAM’s pre-modern collections, which includes preventive care, research, and treatment of objects in preparation for display. Prior to SAM, she was Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and held project positions at the Walters Art Museum and the Getty Conservation Institute. Geneva is a Professional Associate of The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) and former chair of the AIC Sustainability Committee. She holds a BA from Scripps College and MA degrees from the Courtauld Institute of Art and the UCLA/Getty Program in the Conservation of Archaeological and Ethnographic Materials.
Specializations
Preservation of cultural material, preventive conservation, sustainability
Projects/Publications
Advisor, Embedding Sustainability into Graduate Conservation Education, NEH Tier I project proposal, 2020
Peer reviewer, Stemming the Tide: Global Strategies for Sustaining Cultural Heritage Through Climate Change papers, 2020
A Case of the Weeping Buddha. February 2020, Tru Vue Inc. https://tru-vue.com/2020/02/a-case-of-the-weeping-buddha/
Dangerous Detergents? Health and Safety Answers for Surfactant Questions. May 2017, AIC News, Vol. 42, No. 3: 16-19.
Tips for Sustainable Conservation Practices for Emerging Conservation Professionals. February 2018, AIC Wiki.
Cost Effective and Sustainable Packing, Moving, and Storage webinar. December 2015, AIC Sustainability Committee.
An Introduction to How the Manufacturing and Disposal of Adhesives and Paints Affects our Environment. May 2015, AIC News, Vol. 40, No. 3.
Review of Shipping Containers as Storage Options and Suggested Low-cost Solutions for Their Improvement, poster. May 2014, ICOM-CC conference, Melbourne, Australia.
Tasia Johnson
Head of Interpretive Content, J. Paul Getty Museum
tasiae@uw.edu
What inspires me
I am inspired by the changing behaviors and norms of the everyday world, and how museums might embrace them in engaging visitors.
Background
Tasia is committed to broadening cultural representation by giving voice to communities to tell their own stories, and was a founding member of both the Seattle Art Museum Equity and Access staff-leadership teams. Prior to her work at the Getty, Tasia held positions at Seattle Art Museum, the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Tasia is an alumna of the UW Museology Program, has a B.A. in Art History and Journalism from Santa Clara University, and is a Getty Leadership Institute NextGen 2018 Fellow.
Specializations
Art museum education and interpretation, interpretive technology, community engagement, accessibility
Publications
Endo, Tasia (2016) “Teens Use Tech to Talk Art: Amplifying Teen Voice and Art Interpretation,” VRA Bulletin: Vol. 43 : Iss. 2 , Article 3. Available at: http://online.vraweb.org/vrab/vol43/iss2/3
Hollye Keister
Registrar, Burke Museum
hgunter@uw.edu
What inspires me
Curious people inspire me. I’m surrounded by interesting collections, but curious people inspire me to dig deeper and make connections, to think about unexplored ways to interact with collections and problem-solve.
Background
Hollye Keister is the senior Registrar at the Burke Museum, where she has worked since 2002. She also manages the Burke’s Wildlife Art Collection and Institutional Archives, and oversees the Burke’s traveling exhibits service and NAGPRA compliance activities. Hollye is an alumni of the UW Museology program and teaches MUS 540 Preservation and Collections Management. She currently serves on the Board of the Registrars Committee Western Region.
Specializations
Collections Management, Preservation, Registration, NAGPRA, Archives
Siri Linz
Assistant Archaeology Collections Manager, Burke Museum
linzs@uw.edu
What inspires me
Helping to manage over 1 million objects allows me to make connections with local communities the Burke Museum serves and makes the daily organization of the collections we hold meaningful and important.
Background
I am the assistant archaeology collections manager at the Burke Museum. In this role, I collaborate with the archaeology collections manager to oversee the delivery, processing and care of archaeological collections that include more than 1 million objects from all over the world. As part of this position, I support hourly student staff, as well as graduate student and undergraduate student research. I hold a Master of Arts in Museology and a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from the University of Washington.
Specializations
Collections Management
Seth Margolis
Director, William A. Helsell Education Department, The Museum of Flight
What inspires me
Seeing the moment that the learner understands the topics and concepts being discussed–whether it is in a classroom, a gallery, or at an exhibit—and the learning process then becomes a shared and dynamic experience. Also, the challenge of always making learning an enjoyable experience for both the learner and the facilitator.
Background
I am the Director of the William A. Helsell Education Department at The Museum of Flight in Seattle. I studied history at the University of Alberta, received my Master of Arts in Museology at the University of Washington, and have worked at aviation and transportation museums in the United States and Canada. I teach museum education for the UW’s Graduate Program in Museology and serve on the advisory board for the Museum Studies Certificate Program, have spoken at a variety of museum conferences, and won the 2012 UW PCE Excellence in Teaching Award.
Specializations
Museum education, aerospace education, making paper airplanes, obscure Canadian trivia
Angie Ong
What inspires me
My community. I’ve lived in Seattle for almost 20 years and have seen it change a lot in that time. Yet despite its growing pains, Seattle has fostered vibrant neighborhoods of people who care about where they live and improving the lives of others. I have experienced this first-hand in my work as a volunteer at One Brick, the Seattle Animal Shelter, the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI), and most recently at the Woodland Park Zoo. It’s wonderful to live in a city where passionate people give back to their community in so many ways. And I am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute to those efforts both personally and professionally.
Background
After spending 15 years in consumer and technology marketing, including a 10-year stint at Microsoft, I decided to pursue my lifelong passion for learning, teaching, and storytelling. I have since worked across many museum disciplines including fundraising, collections management, and exhibition development, and landed in the field of audience research and evaluation. My philosophy has been to understand all the components of a museum organization so that I can best serve it.
I was formerly a research associate at the Institute for Learning Innovation (ILI) and evaluation manager at Pacific Science Center. I am the past-chair for the American Alliance of Museum’s Committee on Audience Research & Evaluation (CARE) and member of the Visitor Studies Association (VSA) American Evaluation Association (AEA), and Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Over the past decade, I have served many roles in the audience research and evaluation field—as practitioner, advocate, and teacher. I have lead and contributed to numerous evaluation projects as well as multi-year research studies funded by NSF, IMLS, NASA and NIH. I have designed, developed, and implemented evaluation studies, facilitated project planning, conducted evaluation capacity-building workshops, and supported grant-writing efforts.
I hold a Master’s degree in Museum Studies from The George Washington University and received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Canada.
Specializations
Museum evaluation, museums and technology, project management, marketing and communications, wildlife and environmental conservation, and climate science.
Jessica Rubenacker
Exhibit Director, Wing Luke Museum
What inspires me
Personal stories inspire me, whether they are shared through oral histories, conversations or art. These personal stories and histories help bring objects and artifacts to life and help us relate to each other and understand each other as human beings.
Background
Jessica Rubenacker is currently the Exhibit Director at the Wing Luke Museum where she manages the exhibits department and provides leadership and oversight of the community-based exhibit development process. She has worked for the Wing Luke Museum for over 8 years total and also has arts administration experience managing the City of Redmond’s Arts Program. Jessica graduated from the UW Museology graduate program in 2009 and received her BFA in both art history and painting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Specializations
Exhibit development & design, oral history, collections
uwmuse@uw.edu
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