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*
Alexa Nishimoto, President, SoCal Museums*
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, Associate Director, Community Engagement, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles
Carolynn Birilli, Curator, Museums of Lake County
Demetri Broxton, Senior Director of Education, Museum of the African Diaspora* 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* Carolyn Lopez, Assistant Curator & Registrar, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes* Nicole Miller-Coleman, Board Treasurer & Fundraising Co-Chair, Women’s Museum of California* Iliana Morton, Programs Coordinator, UC Berkeley, Center for Interdisciplinary Critical Inquiry* Gladys Ochoa, Museum Associate, Cartoon Art Museum* Javier Plasencia, Program Manager, University of San Francisco* Brittin Romero, Head of School and Community Programs, Bay Area Discovery Museum* 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 Financial and Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center

Members:
Anthony Brown, CFO/COO, Wildwood School*
Katrice Lee, Senior Director of Philanthropy, San Diego Natural History Museum
Lisa Prochazka, Director of Finance and Operations, Monterey Museum of Art

Fund Development Committee

Co-Chairs: 
Kalie Sacco, Director of Member Strategy at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)

Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*

Members:
Tim Aceves, Associate Director of Advancement, Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation*

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*
 

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: 
Katrice Lee, Senior Director of Philanthropy, San Diego Natural History Museum
Meghan Toland, Deputy Director, Sacramento Children's Museum*

Members:
Horacio Correa, Jr., Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center
Fred Goldstein, former Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, Museum Associates, The Los Angeles County Museum of Art*
Houghton Kinsman, Adult Education Coordinator, Crocker Art Museum*
Tomoko Kuta, Chief Operations and Experience Officer, San Diego Botanic Garden

Lisa McDermott, Director, Carnegie Arts Center Foundation*
Leah Van der Mei, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Government Affairs, 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:
TBD

2025 Members:
TBD
 

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, Director of Member Strategy at the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)

Members: 
Milena Acosta, Associate Director, Community Engagement, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Chelsea Anderson, Programming Associate, Getty Research Institute*
Carolynn Birilli, Curator, Museums of Lake County
Demetri Broxton, Senior Director of Education, Museum of the African Diaspora*
Michaeleen Gallagher, Director, 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
Luanne Kanzawa, Executive Director, Japanese Friendship Garden* 
Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*

Vicki Wawerchak, Exhibits Curator, Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

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: 
Karen Crews Hendon, Curator, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Rick Noguchi, CEO, California Humanities

Members:
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
Karen Kienzle, Director, Palo Alto Art Center*
Carolyn Lopez, Assistant Curator & Registrar, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes*
Elaine Mah Best, VP Community Relations, Santa Barbara Zoo
Kristen Mihalko, Director of Operations, Balboa Park Cultural Partnership
Vickie Stone, Curator of Collections, Coronado Historical Association*
Leah Van de Mei, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Government Affairs, California Academy of Sciences


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: Solimar Salas, VP of Museum Content and Programming, Museum of Latin American Art
Co-Vice Presidents: Delta Pick Mello, Executive Director/CEO, Sacramento History Alliance
David Burton, Executive Director, Grace Hudson Museum

Treasurer: Horacio Correa, Jr., Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Fleet Science Center
Secretary: Lauren Baines, Assistant Director, deSaisset Museum
Past President and Chair of Governance: Tomoko Kuta, Chief Operations and Experience Officer, San Diego Botanic Garden

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: 
Tomoko Kuta, Chief Operations and Experience Officer, San Diego Botanic Garden

Members: 
David Burton, Executive Director, Grace Hudson Museum
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.