34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY April 25-May 1, 2024 www.montereycountyweekly.com FACE TO FACE Rachel Miller seems a perfect match for the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. The museum’s new executive director received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and gender studies and a master’s in rhetoric and writing from the University of Arkansas-Little Rock. With time, she became an interdisciplinary professional—her interests always evolving and converging, her education always continuing. In 2014, Miller graduated from the heritage studies PhD program at Arkansas State University. Before that, she spent two decades managing educational outreach programs for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations. She worked for the Arkansas Historic Preservation Program, ASU Heritage Sites (in the Arkansas delta), MacArthur Museum of Military History and Wildwood Park for the Arts. She also taught writing and literature for university and non-traditional students and sees writing as part of her dual profession. In 2017, Miller was the executive director for the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas that serves as a cultural crossroads for the community and region, engaging, educating and entertaining through the arts and sciences. Although much of her adult life was spent in Arkansas, Miller was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico and spent part of her childhood in Germany. From Europe, the family moved to Little Rock. Miller took over as executive director of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History in early March, succeeding Carla Bitter, who headed the facility from 2021-2023, as it came out of the pandemic and a time of controversy. Miller is the fourth director in the museum’s history. Weekly: Who did you want to become as a child? Miller: As a 9-year-old, I wanted to be an art teacher and a belly dancer. But with my move to Arkansas from a cosmopolitan environment [Germany], I got interested in the role the natural environment plays. But I also got interested in cultural studies and gender studies. What happened next? I wanted to stay close to my family, so I worked in Arkansas for years. I helped with historic preservation across Arkansas. I did walking tours, radio broadcasts. Then I got my MA in writing and then a PhD in heritage studies. I focused even more on the environment, for example communities like Eureka Springs in Arkansas, where out of 2,000 residents, 40 percent are members of the LGBT+ community. How did that happen? They were basically hippies who left the cities. I’m fascinated by sustainable communes. For example Eureka Springs [Arkansas] has a big religious community. What were you doing before you joined the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas? I was consulting to museums, working on historic preservation projects and cultural outreach. I spent seven years there, as director. The center is not that different in size and budget from the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History. Which was one of the reasons why I was interested in this position. Was that the only reason? There was another, family reason. My mother-in-law moved to Phoenix. I really didn’t want to live in Phoenix. California seemed like a natural compromise. I have a lot of family and friends in California. Is it the first time you are on the Central Coast? I visited it for the first time when I was in my 20s. I especially liked Yosemite National Park, where I wrote some parts of my PhD dissertation. What are your big plans for the P.G. Museum of Natural History? I just started March 9. I’ve spent only a few weeks in California, so far. The next couple of months will be the time of transition. I will focus on staff and museum infrastructure and make sure that this is a good, stable environment. I also have to get to know the community and show that I really care about it. The museum is very much focused on community outreach and that will be my priority, too. We are excited to roll out our Wonder on Wheels, a mobile exhibit that will try to reach as many children in Monterey County as possible. Where did you find a place to live? I live in Carmel with my family and three animals. We have a dog named Skippy and two cats. Miller Time The new director of the Museum of Natural History has done a lot of everything related to the job. By Agata Pop˛eda After a couple of months on the job, Rachel Miller, the new executive director of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, remains as enthusiastic as during week one. DANIEL DREIFUSS TALES OF SUMMER BEAU B. FRANK SOLO EXHIBITION Opening Reception Friday, April 26th, 5 to 7 p.m. Carmel North; On Dolores Between 5th and 6th Avenues. Details at gallerymarcarmel.com
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