Meet The Team
Louise A. Palermo
Executive Director
L.palermo@columbiagorge.org
Louise, or Lou, Palermo has many years of experience as a museum educator, programmer, and building community partnerships. She finds the Columbia River Gorge to be one of the most beautiful places on earth with the most interesting history. She welcomes your visit or email as she works with the community to reimagine this institution.
Jessica Chamberlin
Visitor Services Manager
J.chamberlin@columbiagorge.org
Jessica Chamberlin is a long-time resident of Stevenson. As the Manager of Visitor Services, she makes sure our Members are well cared for and that visitors have the best experiences while at the Museum.
​
​
​
Jennifer Polzel
Museum Finance
J.Polzel@columbiagorge.org
Jen is a local bookkeeper who loves this museum. She’s a Navy veteran and the Mom of five fabulous kids.
​
​
​
​
John Welborn
Administrative Manager
j.welborn@columbiagorge.org
John has a decade of experience in marketing, management, business development, and leadership from both personal businesses he's built and in working closely with other major online companies allowing him to contribute immensely to the management, growth, and overall success of the Museum.
James Cain
Facilities Manager
Jim Cain is our all-around facilities specialist who keeps the museum in top shape.
He is integral in our updates and changes, making sure our Museum is a great experience for everyone.
​
Open Position
Store Manager
Email
This position is responsible for scheduling staff coverage and volunteers (collaborating with the Front Desk and Events Supervisors), all financial transactions, reports, and marketing initiatives pertaining to the store that are ultimately approved by the administrative manager. Additionally, they assist in front desk coverage and will develop an online store.
Open Position
External Events Coordinator
Email
This position is responsible for actively prospecting, scheduling, and closing outside clients for the purpose of booking external corporate, wedding, or other events in addition to quarterly art gallery exhibitions. This position maintains a project budget, tracks all financial transactions, and provides reports to upper management. Additionally, this role assists in front desk and store coverage as needed.
Morganne Pockels
Collections Manager
M.pockels@columbiagorge.org
Morganne Pockels joined our team to update our collections management areas and create a database allowing us to track donors and objects. Without a collections manager to keep our collections safe, many of our objects would never be on view!
Kim Chestnut
Front Deskkim@columbiagorge.org
A passionate local, Kim is committed to providing value back to her community and representing the Columbia Gorge Museum in a positive light. She is ready to greet you and share the stories stored in our collections!