After a nationwide search of highly qualified applicants, Heather Christenbury, current Curator of the Coos History Museum, has been selected as the new Executive Director. Board Member, Bill Mast states, “Her background and experience are a perfect fit for the museum.” This background includes over 15 years of experience working in museums and cultural institutions from around the globe. Heather started her work as an anthropologist graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Colorado, and she went on to complete her Masters degree from the University of Oklahoma in Museums Studies. Within those institutions, she has worked in multiple departments and as a consultant. As the Coos History Museum Curator for the last two years, Heather has debuted new dynamic exhibits that have added over 50 new objects to the permanent displays while also creating six temporary displays in that short time span. She has also added new programming, and she facilitated the most recent round of annual 4th grade field trips to the museum in partnership with the local Tribes. Coos History Museum’s newest exhibit, “Reclaiming our Words: Tribal Language on the South Coast,” is a collaboration with the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, the Coquille Indian Tribe, and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians, focusing on Native American Language Revitalization as told by the Tribes themselves. Since becoming Curator at CHM, Heather has been invited to join the Oregon Museum Association (OMA) as a board member along with joining Leadership Coos and several other organizations within the community. “My first goal was to make sure that indigenous voices and underserved populations were included in all exhibits with direct collaboration from those communities. This is a cornerstone of my philosophy for creating a holistic interpretation of history within a community.” Heather was raised in a small rural town on the Gulf Coast, moving to Coos Bay after her husband retired from the military, has felt like home. “I believe the Coos History Museum is a hidden gem and can be the premier history museum on the Southern Oregon Coast. The location of the museum along a busy tourism corridor puts it in a great position to bring innovative and inclusive education, exhibits, and programs to Oregon. When this is partnered with unique community partners, a society with over 130 years of commitment to collecting history, and a director with the progressive vision and experience to advance the existing museum operations, this is a recipe for success.”
