Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Finance, Local, News, Seniors, Women, Youth

Meet the Development Team at the Museum of Ventura County

by  •  • Comments Off on Meet the Development Team at the Museum of Ventura County

From the Development Team
Hi, I’m Heather Williams, Chief Development Officer at the Museum of Ventura County.

First and foremost, thank you for your support of the Museum. It’s people like you who help keep our mission, vision, and purpose alive.

I wanted to reach out to introduce myself and our team. You may know our Barbara Barnard Smith CEO, Elena Brokaw, but you may not know us, the development team. We’re the ones who call to thank you for your donations, send your tax letters, answer your membership questions, and most importantly, build and sustain the funding plan for the Museum of Ventura County.

Our small but mighty team wouldn’t be able to do what we do without you. Each quarter, we’ll send an email like this one highlighting wins that you, our MVC community, made possible.

MEET THE TEAM

Amy Huot

Senior Development Coordinator
Amy has been with us nearly two years and is the operational heartbeat of our department. She manages the day-to-day workings of the team with care, precision, and humility—and I admire the way her brain works (and tell her so daily). Amy also oversees three staff members, Josh, Eddie, and Kristy.

EMAIL AMY

Josh Ortiz

Development Specialist
You’ve probably spoken with Josh before or received a tax or gift letter from him. He manages our donor database, processes gifts, and makes sure every contribution is acknowledged. Josh has been with the Museum nearly three years.

EMAIL JOSH

Eddie Gutierrez

Development Associate
Eddie joined us in February and is already making an impact in the community by connecting with potential sponsors for our exhibits and programs. He’s also our membership lead, ensuring that every member’s experience is meaningful and fulfilling.

EMAIL EDDIE

Kristy Rogers

Event Specialist
Kristy has been with the Museum about a year and a half and has truly never met a stranger. She promotes our venue rentals (yes, you can rent both of our locations for your next event!) and coordinates our in-house events.

EMAIL KRISTY

Chelsea Bilger

Grant Manager
Chelsea joined our team on March 17 and plays a crucial role in sustaining and expanding our grants program. Her work helps strengthen our ability to support education initiatives, public programs, and historical projects across Ventura County. Chelsea and I work closely together to ensure our grants strategy continues to grow and thrive.

EMAIL CHELSEA

Heather Williams

Chief Development Officer
I’ve been with the Museum for almost three years and feel honored to lead this talented team. Previously I served as Senior Events Manager and Programs Director, and now, as Chief Development Officer, I have the privilege of overseeing both our fundraising operations and grants management.

EMAIL HEATHER
We all work here because we’re passionate about the history, art, and culture of Ventura County. If you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out, we’re here to serve you and our community.

IN MEMORY OF / IN HONOR OF
We extend our heartfelt thanks to those who made contributions ‘In Memory of’ or ‘In Honor of’ loved ones, or individuals this past quarter. These gifts allow the Museum to remain a vibrant home for our community’s stories.

We are truly honored by those who have chosen to celebrate their loved one’s legacy by supporting the preservation of our region’s shared history. This support ensures that the legacy of those we love remains woven into the vibrant fabric of Ventura County for future generations.

This quarter, we remember and honor:
Donor Date In Honor Of
Deborah and Bob Myman 01/06/26 Tom and Susy Fineman
Cathy Larsen 02/28/26 Hannah Rogers, MVC Access Services Supervisor & Cataloger
Donor Date In Memory Of
Andrea Pfister 01/07/26 Janis Willis
Carolyn Menne 01/20/26 Tom Deardorff
Mary Gallagher 02/03/26 Richard D. Gallagher
Docent Council of the Museum of Ventura County 02/26/26 Marian Totheroh
William and Elise Kearney 03/09/26 Mel Fowler, Michael Montoya, Anthony Diaz
Diane Flynn 03/13/26 Ventura County Supervisor John K. Flynn
The JMK Chase Family Charitable Fund 03/19/26 Liz Silacci
Lori Drysdale 03/22/26 William Kile
Joshua Ortiz 03/25/26 Liz Silacci
Elena Brokaw 03/31/26 Ivor Davis

Donations from 1/1/26-3/31/26

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR ADMISSION SPONSORS
We’d like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our generous admission sponsors who supported the Museum so far this year: Bill and Elise Kearney (January) and Ventura County Credit Union (VCCU) (February through April).

Thanks to their incredible partnership, museum admission has been FREE for all visitors, resulting in quadrupled attendance across our locations. Their generosity not only makes our spaces more accessible but also strengthens our ability to share Ventura County’s art, history, and culture with everyone.

 

It’s partnerships like these that keep our mission thriving and serve our community in meaningful, lasting ways. We are deeply proud and honored to work alongside them in celebrating and preserving the spirit of Ventura County.
With gratitude,

Heather Williams

Chief Development Officer

Museum of Ventura County
Museum of Ventura County | 100 E. Main Street | Ventura, CA 93001 US

Agriculture Museum | 926 Railroad Avenue | Santa Paula, CA 93060 US