Empowering Alaska’s museum leaders through support

Community News

Kenai, Alaska, Sustainability, Foundation
Two people stand in a boat in a lake.
Executive Director LaRece Egli (right) at the rudder of Libby 76 during sea trials on Airplane Lake in Naknek, Alaska, alongside volunteer sailor Scott Bartlett (left), 2025. Constructed in the late 1930s for the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, Libby 76 is a rare surviving example of a double-ender style sailboat used by cannery fishermen throughout the Pacific Northwest. Now fully seaworthy, the vessel is a cornerstone of the Bristol Bay Historical Society’s maritime heritage collection and a living link to the region’s Indigenous, industrial, and cultural heritage. 

Key Points

  • Strengthening organizations that preserve Alaska’s history, culture and stories, Museums Alaska supports more than 100 museums and cultural centers statewide through training, advocacy and shared resources.
  • A grant from Marathon Petroleum funded scholarships and program support, expanding access to leadership development for museum professionals across the state.
  • The Museum Leadership Cohort connects directors across Alaska to build skills, share knowledge and enhance peer connection and support.
A woman sits at a table covered with maps and artifacts.
Museum Leadership Cohort Program participant Dylainie Nathlich, Executive Director, Palmer Museum of History and Art managing the museum's table at the Arts in the Garden fair.

For more than 40 years, Museums Alaska has supported museums and cultural centers across the state, strengthening the organizations that preserve Alaska’s history, culture and stories. As the statewide museum association, Museums Alaska serves more than 100 facilities through professional development, networking, advocacy and shared resources.

One of those efforts is the Museum Leadership Cohort Program, created to support new and transitioning museum directors who often face professional isolation due to Alaska’s vast geography. The cohort brings leaders together to build relationships, share knowledge and develop leadership skills in a supportive environment.

“Through programs like the Leadership Cohort, Museums Alaska continues to strengthen museums statewide,” said LaRece Egli, Executive Director of the Bristol Bay Historical Society. “When museums are stronger, communities benefit through education, tourism, economic growth and a higher quality of life.”

The most recent cohort included 10 museum directors from communities across Alaska, including Anchorage, Fairbanks, Bristol Bay and the Kenai Peninsula. Participants met biweekly over several months to discuss topics such as fundraising, board management, income development and community partnerships. Each participant was also paired with experienced museum leaders for personalized guidance.

Support from Marathon Petroleum helped make the program accessible. Marathon Petroleum provided a grant, which funded scholarships for four participants.

“As someone who stumbled into museum work from a completely different sector, the Museum Leadership Cohort helped connect me with other museum directors, learn more about our field, and understand the unique ecosystem of museums in Alaska,” said Brennon Land, Executive Director of Alaska Children’s Museum.

A woman stands in a museum with two children.
Museum Leadership Cohort Program participant Samantha Forsko, Director, Ketchikan Museums, at the Totem Heritage Center with her children. Ketchikan Museums is comprised of two city museums - the Totem Heritage Center and the Tongass Historical Museum.