Leadership
Mission-Led
At Every Level
You’ll find mission-oriented leadership across every division, discipline and level. From history and collections care, to preservation, civics education, public engagement, and beyond, our people bring the knowledge, experience, and dedication that set the standard for our field. At the helm are two pillars of strategic and operational leadership: the Director's Office and our Divisional Leadership teams.
Leadership Team & Director's Office
Christian Øverland
Ruth & Hartley Barker Director & CEO
Dr. Rachel Byington
Tribal Liaison
Kate Easton
Federal & State Legislative Liaison
Colleen Lies
Marketing & Communications Director
Charlene Yager
General Counsel
Division & Program Leadership
Tricia Canaday
State Historic Preservation Officer
Kelli Ka'alele
Business Services Administrator
Amanda Schultz
Museums & Historic Sites Administrator
Jill Sterrett
Chief Collections Officer
Dr. Abby Pfisterer
Chief Education & Learning Officer
Nick Hoffman
State Historian & Chief Creative Officer
Abbie Norderhaug
State Archivist
Dr. Amy Rosebrough
State Archeologist
Stay Connected to the Latest in Wisconsin History
History never stops. Connect with us and stay up to date on Wisconsin events, stories, donation and membership opportunities, volunteering and more.
Get in TouchBoard of Curators
Our Board of Curators is the Wisconsin Historical Society's governing body and includes eight statutory appointees and up to 30 board members who guide our vision and mission to connect people to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories.
Donald Schott
President
Madison | Retired Attorney
Angela B. Bartell
Past-President
Madison | Retired Judge
Jeffrey Cheney
Treasurer
Sheboygan | Retired Senior Vice President-Finance & Chief Financial Officer - Kohler
Marcia Anderson
Verona | Retired U.S. Army Reserve Major General
Rep. Jill Billings
La Crosse | Wisconsin State Legislator
Kerry Bloedorn
Governor's Appointee
Rhinelander | Northwoods Historian
Tom Boldt
Appleton | CEO, The Boldt Company
Eric Borgerding
Madison | Retired Wisconsin Hospital Association's President & CEO
Senator Dora Drake
Milwaukee | Wisconsin State Legislator
Sandra Fisher
Ex-Officio Board Member
President, FRIENDS of the Wisconsin Historical Society
Ramona Gonzalez
La Crosse | Retired Judge
Sergio Gonzalez
Milwaukee | Marquette University Professor
Mary Jane Herber
De Pere | Brown County Library
Joanne Huelsman
Waukesha | Retired Attorney and Wisconsin State Legislator
Carol McChesney Johnson
Black Earth | Madison Regional Director at Make-A-Wish Wisconsin
Matt Kautzer
Kohler | Kohler Company
JP Leary
Green Bay | Associate professor at the UW-Green Bay
John Mann
Eau Claire | Professor at the UW-Eau Claire
Arvina Martin
Madison | Emerge Wisconsin Executive Director
Terri Yoho
President-Elect
Adell | Consultant - Kohler Foundation
Christian Øverland
Secretary
Madison | The Ruth and Hartley Barker Director & CEO, Wisconsin Historical Society
Janan Najeeb
Mequon | President, Milwaukee Muslim Women's Coalition
Rep. William Penterman
Village of Hustisford | Wisconsin State Legislator
Gary Pesicka
Ex-Officio Board Member
Eau Claire | Chair, Wisconsin Historical Foundation, Board of Directors
Mia Phifer
Milwaukee | President, Wisconsin Council for Local History
Sondy Pope
Governor Designee
Mount Horeb | Former Wisconsin State Legislator
Julie Ragland
Milwaukee | Retired CIO for Navistar
Megan Dickman Renard
Green Bay | CEO of Dickman Media Group and the CEO and Publisher of The Business News
Thomas Shriner Jr.
Shorewood | Attorney
Robert Smith
Milwaukee | Associate Professor, Marquette University Department of History
Leonard Sobczak
Milwaukee | Eastmore Real Estate Mgt.
Jeff Swalve
Waunakee | Agency President of AmFam Group
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley
Madison | Retired Supreme Court Judge
Sen. Van Wanggaard
Racine | Wisconsin State Legislator
Keene Winters
Governor Appointee
Wausau | Investment Advisor, Great Lakes Financial Management Group
Cate Zeuske
Governor Appointee
Green Bay | Consultant
Board of Directors
The Wisconsin Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit tax-exempt organization, is governed by a Board of Directors—generous volunteer leaders that donate their time and talents to guide the financial support the mission of the Wisconsin Historical Society.
Foundation Board
