Empowering Museum Educators to Inspire Action & Create Change
The Autry Museum of the American West
Monday, May 19th | 9 AM - 3 PM
“Education is an act of love, and thus an act of courage” - Paulo Freire, Education for Critical Consciousness
At a time when uncertainty and fear are felt on a personal, communal, and global scale, museums have the potential to provide reliable spaces of resilience, critical dialogue, and transformative action. Join MESC on May 19, 2025, for a crucial discussion on how museum educators can adapt to a changing landscape, take action, and inspire communities to do the same. This event is more than just a gathering-it's a call to action, a platform for sharing ideas about the accountability of museum education and educators, and an opportunity to organize as a field to take meaningful action.
Join fellow educators for this one-day event, where MESC showcases innovators in the field of museum education and fosters a vibrant community for educators to share ideas, connect, and build lasting professional relationships.
Through keynotes, breakout sessions, and poster presentations, we’ll examine the evolving responsibilities of museum educators, share strategies for adapting to change, and build networks of support to sustain impactful work.
Admission includes breakfast, lunch, and access to keynotes, breakout rooms, poster sessions, and museum exhibits.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2025 Annual Institute!
Register now to secure your spot and join us in empowering museum educators to inspire action and create change.
Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
Museum Educators of Southern California (MESC) is excited to offer sponsorship and advertising opportunities for the 2025 Annual Institute: Action & Accountability. Our 2025 Sponsorship Deck features a flexible sponsorship package and customizable options to help you connect with regional museum educators. Supporting the Annual Institute is a fantastic way to showcase your organization and engage with this dynamic community. The priority deadline for sponsorship and advertising commitments is March 17, 2025, but many opportunities are exclusive or limited, so we encourage you to secure your spot early!
Need Management Support?
Are you looking for some tips on getting your management to support your attendance at the Annual Institute?
Check out our Justification Toolkit using the link to the right for some verbiage and copy support from MESC.
SCHEDULE
9 AM: Doors Open
9 AM - 10 AM: Breakfast & Networking
10 AM - 10:30 AM: Land Acknowledgement & Welcome
10:30 AM - 12 PM: Keynote Panel
12 PM - 2 PM: Lunch, Activities & Open Galleries
2 PM - 3 PM: Breakout Sessions
3 PM - 3:15 PM: Goodbye
4 PM: Happy Hour @ 4 PM
KEYNOTE
Join Sue Bell Yank and Nenette Luarca-Shoaf in conversation as they discuss the evolving responsibilities of museum and cultural educators during precarious social and political times. Drawing from their diverse experiences within educational and cultural spaces, they will share strategies for adapting to change, supporting staff, facilitating meaningful dialogues, and building support networks to sustain impactful work.
Sue Bell Yank
Executive Director of Clockshop
She / Her
Sue Bell Yank is a writer, curator, educator, arts administrator, and the Executive Director of Clockshop. She has worked in arts organizations and public schools for nearly 20 years, including Associate Director of Academic Programs at the Hammer Museum and Deputy Director at 18th Street Arts Center. She created an online education platform for the Oprah Winfrey Network and has worked as a teacher and curriculum specialist in and out of public schools. Her expertise lies in art with social impact, public art installations, cultural programming with community partnerships, strategic communications and digital marketing, and organizational strategy. Yank received a BA from Harvard University and an MA in Public Art Studies from the University of Southern California.
Nenette Luarca-Shoaf
Director of Education and Public Engagement at The Huntington
She / Her
Nenette Luarca-Shoaf is the Nadine and Robert A. Skotheim Director of Education and Public Engagement at The Huntington. She assumed the role just over a month ago after spending 5 years as Managing Director of Learning and Engagement at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art. Previously, she was Director of Adult Learning and Associate Curator of Interpretation at the Art Institute of Chicago and has deep experience bridging scholarly expertise with public discourse. She holds a Ph.D. in art history and an M.A. in the Humanities. She has held curatorial and postdoctoral positions at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art, and the University of Minnesota’s Institute for Advanced Study.
BREAKOUTS
Financial Adaptability: Navigating the Current Grant Landscape
Are you interested in learning practical approaches to securing and sustaining funding to enhance your museum’s mission and long-term impact? Explore practical strategies and insights into successful grant writing and financial advocacy to improve the long-term sustainability and impact of your museum's mission. This session welcomes all museum education professionals interested in exploring ways to communicate their impact more effectively at their institutions. While everyone is encouraged to join, this session may hold more value for those at the mid to senior level, looking to continue to deepen their knowledge in financial advocacy.
Gabriel Enamorado
Founder & Executive Director of Stay Arts
He / Him
Gabriel Enamorado is the founder and Executive Director of Stay Arts, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that broadens arts access and representation through high-quality arts education, community-led art programs, and impactful public art projects. Through Stay Arts, Gabriel oversees youth arts education programs and public art initiatives across Southeast and Greater Los Angeles. With over 18 years of experience, he remains committed to creating opportunities for artists and increasing access to the arts in underrepresented communities.
Crystal Gonzalez
Founder and Chief Change Maker at RevComm Consulting
She \ Her
Founder of RevComm Consulting, Crystal has over a decade of experience dedicated to serving nonprofits. She has been instrumental in increasing grant funding, effectively evaluating programs, and streamlining internal operations. Crystal has a wealth of experience securing grants from public, private, and corporate funders, strategically tailoring grant proposals to attract diverse funders.
Building Community Power Through Cultural Education Within Museums
The Arts Council of San Bernardino County will explore how museums and cultural organizations can be catalysts for community power. Through arts education, public programming, and partnerships with local creatives, we’ll examine strategies to deepen civic engagement, counter censorship and misinformation, and challenge inequities from within institutions.
Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez
Executive Director - Arts Connection
He \ Him
Alejandro Gutierrez Chavez is a first-generation Chicano, social entrepreneur, and community leader dedicated to advancing the cultural and creative economy of California’s Inland Empire. Currently serving as the Executive Director of Arts Connection – The Arts Council of San Bernardino County, Alejandro has held diverse roles throughout his career, from 6th-grade educator to Research and Evaluation Analyst at First 5 San Bernardino, and Program Director at El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center.
Ulises Rodriguez
Associate Director - Arts Connection
He / Him
Ulises Rodriguez is a dedicated artist, cultural organizer, and advocate for the arts, committed to fostering creative spaces and uplifting communities across the Inland Empire. He has spent over a decade advancing arts education, nonprofit management, and cultural programming. As the Associate Director of Arts Connection – The Arts Council of San Bernardino County, he plays a key role in supporting artists, developing community-driven initiatives, and expanding access to artistic opportunities.
Inclusive Storytelling in Art Museums
Through the lens of Action & Accountability, join Alondra Virrey (LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes) and Lara Schilling (LACMA) for an engaging conversation that invites museum educators, cultural workers, and attendees to reflect on how narratives are shaped within museum spaces. Together, participants will explore how educators can advocate against censorship and promote organizational storytelling that is accurate, inclusive, and collaborative. This session encourages the sharing of experiences, strategies, and tools that empower educators to respond to the current moment with clarity, care, and impact.
Alondra Virrey
Engagement Manager of Visitor Experiences at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
She / Her / Ella
Alondra Virrey focuses on creating meaningful materials and facilitating connections between visitors and the museum’s exhibitions, programs, and community-centered experiences.
She holds a Master’s in Library and Information Science (MLIS) with a concentration in engagement and access, which deeply informs both her professional and personal work.
Outside of the museum, Alondra’s research explores Latinx approaches to death and dying in the United States. She investigates the intersections of migration, archives, and end-of-life experiences—particularly within Mexican communities—and how these shape cultural transformation and preservation. Her work centers issues of immigration status, grief, gender roles, community care, and what it means to have a “good death,” with the aim of sparking conversation and catalyzing change.
Lara Schilling
Manager of School and Teacher Programs at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
She / Her
Lara develops and produces professional development opportunities and resources for K-12 teachers, including Evenings for Educators and the Educator Speaker Series, which she established in 2021. She also oversees Creative Classrooms, the museum’s partnership program with elementary schools, as well as the Teaching Artist Training Series, a program that provides training in visual arts teaching to local artists. She holds an M.A. in Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Culture from Bard Graduate Center and a B.A. in Comparative Literature from Barnard College.
