OUR STAFF
& BOARD
The Tulare Historical Museum is run by a dedicated staff and board of directors.
TEAM THM
DAWN SABALA
Executive Director/Curator
Dawn Sabala is the Executive Director/Curator of the Tulare Historical Museum. Dawn was born and raised in south Texas where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. After graduating, she was a co-partner in opening a successful artist run gallery called Manichaus. After moving to California she continued her arts education at the College of the Sequoias, earning an Associate's degree in the field of Graphic Design. She then ran a small graphic design business for 5 years before becoming director.
Dawn is obsessed with visual communication and is excited to bring her skill set to the Tulare Historical Museum. She also loves learning about Tulare's rich history and connecting with its unique community of artists and historians.
CHARLEY RODRIGUEZ
Executive Assistant
Charley Rodriguez is the Executive Assistant at the Tulare Historical Museum. She started off as a volunteer and became part of the team in October 2021. Her job is to assist the Interim Director in organizing events, exhibit set up, updating inventory, tracking social media and online activity, etc.
She is majoring in nutrition and has a deep interest in cuisine from around the world, microbiology, world history, and ancient societies.
MATTHEW MENKE
Research Historian
Matthew Menke is the Research Historian at the Tulare Historical Museum and has been with us since June 2019. His job entails cataloging and researching museum artifacts, organizing and labeling items in our storage facility and assisting with docent tours and other museum events and projects.
He is currently working towards a Master's degree in History at California State University in Fresno. His interests are American political and military history, the history of the Old West, political philosophy and European History.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Marmie Fidler
PRESIDENT
Deborah Thrasher
VICE PRESIDENT
Lisa Hollingshead
SECRETARY
Sharon Van Weerdhuizen
TREASURER
Barbara Guerra Chudej
Ken Espinoza
Anthony Felix
Kevin Fitzgerald
Sue Giampetro
Steve Lawton
Kent McNatt
John Pendleton
Joe Terri