Heritage Center Director Accepted into Prestigious Seminar

The St. Charles Heritage Center is pleased to announce that their Director, Natalie Gacek, has been accepted into the prestigious Developing History Leaders @ SHA program, formerly known as the Seminar for Historical Administration. According to their website, Developing History Leaders @ SHA is the best professional development opportunity for future leaders in history organizations of all types and sizes. For over fifty years the Seminar for Historical Administration has provided history professionals the tools, ideas, and connections that allow them to become effective leaders and managers of history organizations.

Gacek will join approximately twenty other professionals from across the country in Indianapolis this fall for the three-week seminar. Workshops, discussions, and forums will be led by nationally recognized leaders in the history and museum fields. “This is a once in a life time opportunity,” said Gacek, “I am honored and excited to have been selected to attend.” Gacek has been with the St. Charles Heritage Center since October 2002, and for the last two years she has served as their Director.

"Natalie's acceptance into this program is not only a notable professional achievement for her, it is also a major step forward for the Heritage Center in our pursuit of organizational excellence" said Heritage Center Board President, Joe Schelstreet.

Gacek says she is looking forward to the opportunity to meet and work with professionals and industry leaders to learn from their experiences and build on their recommendations. She added, “The Heritage Center is a wonderful organization and I look forward to applying the new knowledge and skills learned at the seminar to our continued advancement.”

According to the program’s website some of the topics to be covered include the role of public history institutions in our communities, the use of historic collections in exhibits and research, digital media use for history organizations, interpreting demographic trends and visitor experiences, fundraising, visioning, and strategic planning.

For more information on the Developing History Leaders @ SHA program please visit their website.

Developing History Leaders @ SHA is sponsored by the American Association of State and Local History, the American Alliance of Museums, Colonial Williamsburg, the Indiana Historical Society, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The St. Charles Heritage Center operates the St. Charles History Museum and Gift Shop located at 215 E. Main Street.  The Museum and Gift Shop are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.  For more information please call 630-584-6967, visit the website or check us out on Facebook.