Committees

Like most nonprofits, CAM relies heavily on volunteers to achieve our mission. Each committee’s work is guided by a charter and annual objectives, approved by the Board of Directors. Members of the association are able to serve on Member Committees. Thank you to all the committee members who volunteer their time and expertise to strengthen and unify California museums. 

Interested in getting involved with CAM's committee work? Direct specific inquiries to [email protected].

MEMBER COMMITTEES

Current CAM Individual, Institutional, and Business Members are eligible to serve on the following committees.

* = Non-Board members

California Networks Council 

The California Networks Council fosters collaborative learning networks for the benefit of California museums and museum professionals. The organizational members of the California Networks Council are local, regional, or statewide networks that serve California museums.

Chair: Lauren Baines, Interim Director, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University

Members:
Emma Poggioli, Leadership Committee, San Diego EMP*
Julie Baker, Executive Director, Californians for the Arts*
Gretta Stimson, President, Cultural Connections*
Amy Cohen, Executive Director, Exhibit Envoy*
Shawn Lum, Representative, Eastern Sierra Cultural Heritage Alliance*
Felicia Harmer Kelley, Project and Evaluation Director, California Humanities*
Lisa McDermott, Director, Carnegie Arts Center Foundation
Delta Pick Mello, Chair, Sacramento Association of Museums
Kristen Mihalko, Director of Operations, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership
Bob Lehman, Executive Director, San Diego Museum Council
Amy King, Museum Alliance of Tulare-Kings Counties*

Equity Advisory Committee

Chair: Kristen Mihalko, Director of Operations, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership

Members:
Milena Acosta, Senior Community Engagement Manager, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Carolynn Birilli, Assistant Curator, Museums of Lake County
Demetri Broxton, Senior Director of Education, Museum of the African Diaspora* Heather Farquhar, Director, Shasta Historical Society* Maria Gonzalez, Board Relations Manager, Japanese American National Museum* Robin Gose, President and CEO, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation (MOXI)* Kim Kirkhart, Director of Membership, Santa Barbara Zoo* Natalie Kramm, Direct Response Fundraising Coordinator and Email Marketing Coordinator, California Academy of Sciences* Tammy Lau, Head Special Collections Research Center, Library, California State University, Fresno* Carolyn Lopez, Assistant Curator & Registrar, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes* Nia McAllister, Senior Public Programs Manager, Museum of the African Diaspora* Nicole Miller-Coleman, Board Treasurer & Fundraising Co-Chair, Women’s Museum of California* Iliana Morton, Programs Coordinator, UC Berkeley, Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry* Ana Navarro, (she/her/ella), Leadership Gifts Associate, ACLU of Northern California
Gladys Ochoa, Museum Associate, Cartoon Art Museum* Brittani Orona, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University Javier Plasencia, Program Manager, University of San Francisco* Brittin Romero, Head of School and Community Programs, Bay Area Discovery Museum* Solimar Salas, VP of Museum Content and Programming, Museum of Latin American Art Benina Stern, Program Specialist, Skirball Cultural Center* Laurinda Willard, Chief Operating Officer, Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Finance Committee

CAM's Finance Committee reviews financial statements and budgets prior to presentation to the Board of Directors, monitors the organization's financial health, recommends an accounting firm for the organization's annual review, among other responsibilities.

Chair: Horacio Correa Jr., Chief Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center

Members:
Anthony Brown, VP of Finance/CFO, Aquarium of the Pacific*
Katrice Lee, Senior Director of Development and Grants, San Diego Natural History Museum
Rick Noguchi, Chief Operating Officer, Japanese American National Museum
Aimee Lee, Director of People, Culture & Operations, San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum

Fund Development Committee

Co-Chairs: Ana Navarro, (she/her/ella), Institutional Giving Coordinator, Bay Area Discovery Museum
Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*

Members:
Tim Aceves, Associate Director of Advancement, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation*
Keasha Dumas Heath, Board member, Museum of African American Art*
Jennifer Jordan, Director of Membership, Los Angeles County Museum of Art*
Kim Kirkhart, Director of Membership, Santa Barbara Zoo*
Kevin McGarry, Associate Director for Public Engagement, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Nicole Miller-Coleman, Board Treasurer & Fundraising Co-chair, Women’s Museum of California*
Rick Noguchi, Chief Operating Officer, Japanese American National Museum 

Government Relations Committee

The Government Relations Committee monitors proposed California legislation that will have an impact on museums, plans advocacy events, and oversee efforts to encourage advocacy from the field.

Co-Chairs: Christine Stokes, Museum Director, Coronado Historical Association
Katrice Lee, Senior Director of Development and Grants, San Diego Natural History Museum

Members:
David Burton, Executive Director, Grace Hudson Museum
Horacio Correa, Jr., Chief Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center
Fred Goldstein, former Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Museum Associates, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art*
Keasha Dumas Heath, Board member, Museum of African American Art*
Houghton Kinsman, Adult Education Coordinator, Crocker Art Museum*
Tomoko Kuta, Senior Director of Education and Visitor Services, San Diego Botanic Garden (ex-oficio)
Nikki Lim, Executive Director, California Indian Museum and Cultural Center*
Lisa McDermott, Director, Carnegie Arts Center Foundation
Brittani Orona, Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University
Amy Smith, Executive Director, Bakersfield Museum of Art*
Meghan Toland, Deputy Director, Sacramento Children's Museum*
Leah Van Der Mei, Director of Public Operations, California Academy of Sciences

Host Committee

The Host Committee supports planning and promotion of the annual CAM Conference. Members are selected each year from museums local to the conference location.

Co-Chairs: Solimar Salas, Vice President of Content, Innovation & Outreach, Museum of Latin American Art
Vicki Wawerchak, Exhibits Curator, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium
Kevin McGarry, Associate Director for Public Engagement, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation (Program Committee Co-Chair)

2024 Members:
Amanda Fruta, Carolyn Campagna Kleefeld Contemporary Art Museum*
Alie LeBeau, Aquarium of the Pacific*
Ron Nelson, Long Beach Museum of Art*
Guadalupe Pena, Los Angeles Maritime Museum*
Mary Sramek, Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden, CSULB*
Marissa Sykes, Angels Gate Cultural Center*
 

Program Committee

The Program Committee supports the success of the annual CAM conference, including the selection of sessions and speakers and the planning of the Host Committee. Throughout the year, the Program Committee may also be asked to support other CAM programming.

Co-Chairs: Kevin McGarry, Associate Director for Public Engagement, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation
Kalie Sacco, Associate Director, Lawrence Hall of Science University of California, Berkeley

Members: 
Milena Acosta, Senior Manager of Community Engagement, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Carolynn Birilli, Assistant Curator, Museums of Lake County
Carla Bitter, Former Executive Director, Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History
Demetri Broxton, Senior Director of Education, Museum of the African Diaspora*
 Joe D. Horse Capture, Vice President of Native Collections and the Ahmanson Curator of Native American History and Culture, Autry Museum of the American West
Doug Jenzen, Vice President, Engagement and Access, Skirball Cultural Center*
Luanne Kanzawa, Executive Director, Japanese Friendship Garden* 
Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*
Nicole Meldahl, Executive Director, Western Neighborhoods Project* 
Alex Regan, Events & Exhibitions Librarian, University of California, Santa Barbara*
Solimar Salas, VP of Museum Content and Programming, Museum of Latin American Art
Christine Stokes, Executive Director/Curator, Coronado Historical Association*
Cate Thurston, Associate Curator, Skirball Cultural Center*
Vicki Wawerchak, Independent Museum Professional

Strategic Action Committee

The Strategic Action Committee uses foresight research to influence work in the areas of environmental sustainability, emerging professional development, and DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion).

Co-Chairs: Solimar Salas, VP of Museum Content and Programming, Museum of Latin American Art
Mark Katrikh, Director, Museum Operations and Experience, Museum of Tolerance*

Members:
Chelsea Anderson, Programming Associate, Getty Research Institute*
Lauren Baines, Interim Director, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University
Demetri Broxton, Senior Director of Education, Museum of the African Diaspora*
Lisa Eriksen, Accessibility Coordinator, Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo*
Michaeleen Gallagher, Director of Education and Environmental Programs, The Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands*
Joe D. Horse Capture, Vice President of Native Collections and the Ahmanson Curator of Native American History and Culture, Autry Museum of the American West
Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*
Carolyn Lopez, Assistant Curator & Registrar, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes*
Kristen Mihalko, Director of Operations, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership
Brittani Orona (Hupa), Ph.D. Candidate in Native American Studies and Human Rights, UC Davis; Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University (Fall 2022)
Vickie Stone, Curator of Collections, Coronado Historical Association*

STANDING COMMITTEES

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is comprised of the officers of the association and the Chair of the Nominating Committee. They oversee the strategic planning process and the review and compensation of the Executive Director, among other tasks.

President: Tomoko Kuta, Senior Director of Education and Visitor Services, San Diego Botanic Garden
Co-Vice Presidents: Delta Pick Mello, Executive Director/CEO, Sacramento History Alliance
Solimar Salas, VP of Museum Content and Programming, Museum of Latin American Art
Treasurer: Horacio Correa, Jr., Chief Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center
Secretary: Lisa McDermott, Director, Carnegie Arts Center Foundation
Past President: Vacant
Chair of Governance: David Burton, Executive Director, Grace Hudson Museum

Governance Committee

The Governance Committee annually selects a slate of nominees for election to fill vacant seats on the board, ensures a diverse membership on the board, and assesses the effectiveness of the Board of Directors.

Chair: David Burton, Executive Director, Grace Hudson Museum

Members: 
Tomoko Kuta, Senior Director of Education and Visitor Services, San Diego Botanic Garden (ex-oficio)
Delta Pick Mello, Executive Director/CEO, Sacramento History Alliance
Kristen Mihalko, Director of Operations, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership

CAM's Executive Director and President are ex-officio members of all committees.