TAM 2025 Full Schedule

All programming takes place at the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center - Zlotnik Ballroom unless otherwise noted!

Conference Registration

5:00pm-6:00pm

LBJ Presidential Library

Opening Reception

6:00pm-8:00pm

LBJ Presidential Library and the Briscoe Center for American History

Evening at the LBJ Presidential Library with special access to The Briscoe Center for American History

Conference Registration

8:00am-4:30pm

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:00am-9:00am

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Opening Remarks and TAM 50th Anniversary Retrospective

8:30am-9:30am

Salons 3 & 4

Break

9:30am-9:45am

Roundtable with the Historic Sites and Houses Affinity Group (HSHAG)

9:45am-10:45am

Salons 3 & 4

Join the Historic Sites and Houses Affinity Group (HSHAG) for a dynamic roundtable session focused on the unique challenges and opportunities of preserving and operating historic sites and houses across Texas. This interactive discussion provides attendees a chance to ask questions and share ideas on topics such as preservation, maintenance, operations, and programming. Whether you're tackling structural concerns, engaging visitors, or developing innovative programs, this session offers a collaborative space to exchange insights, strategies, and solutions with fellow professionals dedicated to keeping Texas history alive.

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Alysha Richardson

Alysha Richardson

Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum

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Steve Baird

Steve Baird

Klein Historical Foundation

Educator Roundtable with the TAM Educators Committee (TAMEC) Affinity Group

9:45am-10:45am

Salons 3 & 4

Museum educators: looking for an opportunity for ideas and advice in a more informal, one-on-one format? Join us for an idea exchange/expert advice in a variety of Educator Interest Areas—Speed-date style! Participants at this year's Educator Roundtable will spend 10 minutes or less in small-group discussion of each of the following: ideas for docent & volunteer corps recruitment, post-visit activities (inexpensive and meaningful extensions) idea-share(steal), successful teen programming, hosting classroom teacher in-services at your institution, and community 'friend-raisers' events/programs/collaborations.

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Erin Whitmore

Erin Whitmore

The Old Jail Art Center

There's No 'I' in Museum: Using Heritage Tourism to Teach Collaboration

9:45am-10:45am

Salon 1

This session highlights the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) unique approach to implementing the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program, a traveling exhibition program serving rural towns across America. Exploring the program's heritage tourism potential, the THC designed its MoMS training to advance interdisciplinary partnerships and emphasize the strategic alignment of storytelling, experience development, and promotion. This approach made room for different kinds of community organizations and their unique skills. More importantly, it treated capacity-building, specifically in regard to the cultivation of robust heritage landscapes, as a community-wide or regional aim, not just an organizational one. Attendees will hear from THC staff and past MoMS participants on successful partnerships, challenges, and lessons learned. Key takeaways include strategies for regional collaboration, understanding different organizational needs, and best practices for heritage tourism initiatives.

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Jennifer Eckermann

Jennifer Eckermann

Visit Brenham/City of Brenham

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Mallory Laurel

Mallory Laurel

Texas Historical Commission

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Erin Shields

Erin Shields

The Old Jail Art Center

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Shelby Curtis

Shelby Curtis

City of San Augustine

Inspired: Small Museums Share Impact of IMLS Inspire Grants

9:45am-10:45am

Salon 5

The IMLS Inspire grant for small museums funds projects between $5,000 and $25,000 requiring no matching funds and those projects requesting funding between $25,001 and $75,000 do require a 1:1 match in two categories: Lifelong Learning and Collections Access and Stewardship. These funds can be transformative for small museums enabling giant leaps forward, incremental change, and exploration of new initiatives that would otherwise be unattainable due to limited resources. Inspire grant recipients share their experiences and the impact these project-specific grant funds have made on their museums. Participants will gain insights on the Inspire grant process through peer-to-peer learning from these case studies.

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Caitlin Clay

Caitlin Clay

Art Museum of Southeast Texas

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Marcelo Ramirez Garcia-Rojas

Marcelo Ramirez Garcia-Rojas

International Museum of Art and Science

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Melinda McPeek

Melinda McPeek

Institute of Museum and Library Services

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Michael Ables

Michael Ables

Texas Maritime Museum

From the Magnificent to the Mundane

9:45am-10:45am

Salon 6

This session explores mundane programs like Docusign, practical programs like CatalogIt, and magnificent technology like the Omni Digital Dome. Come hear about three different institutions' experiences with very different technology. How can technology help your museum improve its operations or expand your visitor experiences?

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Paul Cato

Paul Cato

Neill-Cochran House Museum

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Daniel Carey-Whalen

Daniel Carey-Whalen

Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens

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Nikki Diller

Nikki Diller

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Break

10:45am-11:00am

Museum Emerging Leaders of Texas (MELT) Roundtable with the MELT Affinity Group

11:00am-12:00pm

Salons 3 & 4

Forms and policies are part of everyday life in museums and cultural institutions. These look different not only in different departments but also across different types and sizes of institutions. Join the Museum Emerging Leaders of Texas (MELT) Affinity Group in a roundtable discussion and idea share for all departments: collections, exhibits, education, administration, and volunteer management. Please bring your own policies and forms for peer review and feedback.

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Chris Dyer

Chris Dyer

Dr Pepper Museum

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Rachael A. Nadeau Johnson

Rachael A. Nadeau Johnson

Dr Pepper Museum

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Coyote Balderrama Shook

Coyote Balderrama Shook

Bullock Texas State History Museum

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April Love

April Love

Mayborn Museum

Creative Solutions for Museum Preservation by the Collections Managers Committee (CMC) Affinity Group

11:00am-12:00pm

Salons 3 & 4

Join the Collections Managers Committee (CMC) Affinity Group to discuss creative solutions. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, come prepared to share your stories, challenges, and successes in collections while navigating budget constraints.

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Aubrey Nielsen

Aubrey Nielsen

Brownsville Historical Association

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Cecilia Abad

Cecilia Abad

Texas Historical Commission

STEM Lens on History and Culture

Sponsored by MuseWork and Texas Science & Natural History Muesum

11:00am-12:00pm

Salon 1

This panel will provide museum and cultural site education and interpretation staff with tools to create STEM and STEAM programming successfully. Panelists from the Texas Historical Commission describe, analyze and assess their STEM and STEAM programming with the intention of providing inspiration and support for participants who wish to incorporate STEM and STEAM concepts in educational programming. Panelists share images, stories, successes, and lessons from programs they created or helped to create at their historical and cultural sites. They offer a short, easy hands-on example for participants to experience the exploration of STEM and STEAM concepts in a historical and cultural setting.

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Erin Frigo

Erin Frigo

Texas Historical Commission

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Lauren Siegel

Lauren Siegel

MathHappens Foundation

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Morgan Oldham

Morgan Oldham

The Alamo

Designing Community Spaces in Historic Buildings

11:00am-12:00pm

Salon 5

How is your museum balancing the use of spaces to accommodate community gatherings, programs, and exhibits? Museum directors from Flower Hill Center in Austin and Heart of the Hills Heritage Center in Kerrville and Chief Operating Officer/Partner at Quatrefoil Associates exhibit design firm will share ideas about designing flexible spaces at museums in historic buildings that balance the use of their unique and limited spaces to offer programs and exhibitions. Each unique perspective will provide insight into how small museums are taking different approaches to create vibrant hubs for their communities.

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Roula Tsapalas

Roula Tsapalas

Quatrefoil Associates

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Natalie George

Natalie George

Flower Hill Center

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Angela Kennedy

Angela Kennedy

Heart of the Hills Heritage Center

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Nina Murrell

Nina Murrell

Flower Hill Center / Murrell Office for Development and Architecture, LLC

Listening, Learning, and Working: Five Years into an Alternative Future

11:00am-12:00pm

Salon 6

Join longtime TAM member Craig Farrell as he shares the journey of the Gulf Coast Archive & Museum of GLBT History, Inc. (GCAM) and its evolution in preserving Houston’s LGBTQ+ history. Dr. Brian Riedel of Rice University’s Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality will provide broader context on GCAM’s impact within Houston’s LGBTQ+ community, drawing from his research and involvement with other key organizations. Joyce Gabiola, LGBTQ+ History Research Librarian at the University of Houston, will discuss the transition of GCAM’s collection to the university and how it is now being used for research.

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Craig Farrell

Craig Farrell

Gulf Coast Archive & Museum of GLBT History, Inc.

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Joyce Gabiola

Joyce Gabiola

University of Houston

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Dr. Brian Riedel

Dr. Brian Riedel

Center for the Study of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Rice University

Lunch Buffet

12:00pm-12:15pm

Zlotnik Ballroom

Beyond the Numbers: Turning Data into Strategic Action for the Arts

12:15pm-1:00pm

Salons 3 & 4

This keynoye address explores how to leverage data in the museum field to inform strategic change, foster equity and inclusion, and support advocacy efforts. Starting with grounding in recent trends in data across the sector, we’ll discuss easy options for data collection around a range of topics, share available sources of data, and discuss how they can be activated. Case studies will be woven into the discussion to illustrate how museums of various types and sizes are leveraging research and data as helpful tools for their work.

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Dr. Jen Benoit-Bryan, Research Director

Dr. Jen Benoit-Bryan, Research Director

SMU DataArts

Break

1:00pm-1:15pm

Making the Most of Your Earned Income - Let's Hear Your 2 Cents! with the TAM Executive Leader (TAMEL) Affinity Group

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 6

Explore innovative ways to maximize revenue while staying mission-driven with the TAM Executive Leaders (TAMEL) Affinity Group. Bring your ideas, challenges, and best practices—we want to hear your two cents! This session is only open to Executive Directors and CEOs.

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Liz Jackson

Liz Jackson

Briscoe Western Art Museum

Starting Conversations About Volunteer Best Practices

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 1

Volunteers are an integral part of museums, yet volunteer issues are rarely discussed at conferences. Session attendees will examine real-world examples (including questions about firing a volunteer and grappling with federal labor regulations) and identify the best resources available to them. We will then facilitate a guided conversation in small groups to cross-pollinate ideas so that attendees can begin to outline volunteer best practices for their museums.

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April Love

April Love

Mayborn Museum

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Kaleigh Reid

Kaleigh Reid

Mayborn Museum

Working Together: Raising the Profile of Black Austin History

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salons 3 & 4

This panel will acquaint participants with the historical meta narrative of Austin history, which has been narrow and often exclusionary, and then will share the ways the included sites are challenging that traditional narrative. Participants will walk away with tools and ideas to expand the narrative frameworks in their own communities.

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Dr. Tara A. Dudley

Dr. Tara A. Dudley

NHCM

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Cathy Runnels

Cathy Runnels

Carver Museum

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Dr. Rowena Dasch

Dr. Rowena Dasch

Neill-Cochran House Museum

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A. Arro Smith, Ph.D.

A. Arro Smith, Ph.D.

Save Austin Cemeteries

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Michael Ward

Michael Ward

Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farms

Collection Clues: Identifying Photographic Processes

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 5

Since the invention of photography, the methods used to take photographs have changed drastically. Identifying the processes used in photography can help date an image and determine vital information about the people, places, and events captured in the photograph. Additionally, identifying photographic processes will assist collections managers in preserving and caring for their photographic objects.

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Alexandra Vanderhider Cuthbert

Alexandra Vanderhider Cuthbert

Texas Historical Commission

Break

2:15pm-2:30pm

Speed Networking

Sponsored by Primesite Web

2:30pm-3:15pm

Salons 3 & 4

Bring your business cards and your badge for a chance to meet fellow TAM Annual Meeting attendees. Through rapid-fire facilitated conversations, share what you’re doing, where you’re from, what you’re excited about, or what you want help with. Come ready to talk—the time goes quickly!

Break

3:15pm-3:30pm

Preparing For a Website Redesign: Where the Heck Do You Start?

3:30pm-4:00pm

Salons 3 & 4

In 2014, the Bullock Museum revamped its website with a custom CMS. As our strategy evolved and our CMS became unsustainable, we knew it was time for an overhaul. This session will share our journey of developing a content strategy and preparing for a website redesign. We’ll discuss engaging staff through a strategic planning framework and surveys, leveraging data from Google Analytics, and navigating the challenges we faced along the way. Participants will gain practical skills and ideas to employ in their own website and content strategy projects.

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Mel Tamporello

Mel Tamporello

Bullock Texas State History Museum

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Emily Henne

Emily Henne

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Be a Solution, Not Just a Resource: Meeting Schools and Communities Where They Are

3:30pm-4:00pm

Salon 1

Join the Discovery Center Collective to explore a community-driven approach to education and outreach. Learn how we expanded summer camps to low-income schools, brought museum experiences directly to students, and hosted inclusive events for neurodiverse individuals. Discover strategies for fostering inclusivity, building partnerships, and meeting evolving needs. Engage in group brainstorming to generate solutions for your community.

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Daniella Ramos

Daniella Ramos

Don Harrington Discovery Center

Bridging the Gap from Idea to Reality: How the Briscoe Center for American History Solved Exhibit Challenges Using Practical Solutions

Sponsored by Museum Arts

3:30pm-4:00pm

Salon 5

Through stewardship, scholarship, and outreach, the Briscoe Center for American History cultivates historical knowledge and fosters exploration of our nation’s past. As a small museum whose mission is to showcase historically significant collections, the Center utilizes rotating exhibits in a flexible gallery space to maximize its program, often with limited resources. This session will feature an open discussion between members of the Center’s exhibits team focusing on the approaches, challenges, and lessons learned from successful installations. In the context of the Center’s recent exhibits, the session will explore themes of practicality, resourcefulness, and collaboration to illuminate creative ways for small museums and archival institutions to display their unique collections to a wider audience.

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Dr. Sarah Sonner

Dr. Sarah Sonner

Briscoe Center for American History, UT Austin

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Suzanne M. McGarraugh

Suzanne M. McGarraugh

Suzanne M. McGarraugh Exhibit Design Services

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Michelle Rossomando, AIA, RID

Michelle Rossomando, AIA, RID

McKinney York Architects

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Aaron Taylor, AIA

Aaron Taylor, AIA

McKinney York Architects

Small, but Mighty! Corporate Sponsorship Programs for Small Organizations

3:30pm-4:00pm

Salon 6

Are you looking to launch or build your corporate sponsorship program, but not sure how to start? Get some practical ideas on how to identify, attract, and steward corporate donors. We’ll also cover the bonus benefits that corporate partners can bring to your mission – including prospective board members, volunteers, in-kind services, and publicity. The discussion will be intended for implementation by organizations with few or no development staff.

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Jacqui Schraad, CFRE, CNM, CFRM

Jacqui Schraad, CFRE, CNM, CFRM

Texas State History Museum Foundation

Small Spaces Big Ideas: Interpreting Sensitive Content Through the Eyes of Children

4:00pm-4:30pm

Salon 1

This session explores the challenges and insights gained in developing an exhibition on children’s experiences during World War II. From addressing sensitive topics in an age-appropriate way to overcoming space limitations while creating immersive environments, the exhibition’s concept evolved—from placing children in the role of soldiers to examining how the war shaped their daily lives and families. Learn about the creative solutions and lessons learned throughout the process.

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Chris Frison

Chris Frison

National Musuem of the Pacific War - D|G Studios

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Brad Parker

Brad Parker

BPI

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Nicole Huang

Nicole Huang

BPI

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Aaron Scarlata

Aaron Scarlata

Exhibit Concepts, Inc.

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David Shields

David Shields

National Museum of the Pacific War

Innovative Programming: Filling the Gap

4:00pm-4:30pm

Salon 5

Every museum has a gap in who they reach in their community and it can be overwhelming to come up with different ways to engage with your gap audiences. This session will look at ways the Log Cabin Village and the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History have developed programs with their gap communities in mind.

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Shae Nawoj

Shae Nawoj

Log Cabin Village

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Bethany Cuthbertson

Bethany Cuthbertson

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

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Rebecca Reed

Rebecca Reed

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

Demystifying Collections Insurance: How This Valuable Tool Can Help Safeguard Your Museum’s Mission

4:00pm-4:30pm

Salon 6

Collections insurance plays a crucial role in safeguarding your museum’s mission. In this informative session, we’ll explore the ins and outs of collections insurance, demystifying its purpose, coverage, and who needs it. Whether you’re a curator, museum director, registrar, board member, or collector, understanding collections insurance is essential for protecting your irreplaceable collection. Join us as we unravel the complexities of collections insurance and empower you to make informed decisions for your museum collection.

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Nonie Tompkins

Nonie Tompkins

Distinguished Fine Art and Collectibles

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Joy S. Simpson

Joy S. Simpson

Higginbotham

Texas and America's 250th Anniversary

Sponsored by The Bullock Museum

4:00pm-4:30pm

Salons 3 & 4

Curious about the Semiquicentennial in 2026 (like how to pronounce it) and what you can do to participate? Join the presiding chair of the Texas America250 Commission for insight into this historic anniversary and learn how Texas is key to this national conversation. This 25-minute, fast-paced informational session will include time for questions and idea-sharing.

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Margaret Koch

Margaret Koch

Bullock Texas State History Museum

Exhibitor Reception

4:30pm-5:00pm

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Join us for a lively evening of networking, featuring an Austin-inspired cocktail and the latest innovations from our exhibitors. Connect with industry peers, explore new services and solutions, and don’t forget to visit each exhibitor for a chance to win a free registration to the TAM 2026 Annual Conference!

Directors and CEOs Reception hosted by the Harry Ransom Center

5:00pm-6:00pm

Harry Ransom Center

Museum leaders and current and past TAM Councilors from across the state mix and mingle during this special VIP Invitation Only event. The Harry Ransom Center exhibitions will be open to VIP invitees during the reception.

50th Birthday Bash at the Bullock Texas State History Museum & Capitol Mall

5:00pm-8:00pm

Bullock Museum and Capitol Mall Sites

Join your Capitol Mall colleagues in celebrating TAM’s 50th anniversary! Behind-the-scenes tours at the State Library and Archives, Capitol Grounds, The General Land Office, and historic Gethsemane Catholic Church, plus Great Promise for American Indians and special guest musical performances, whiskey tasting, 1970s throwback movie reels from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, curators/archivists/educators meet-up, Tamster photo-ops, and delicious hors d’oeuvres await!

Conference Registration

8:00am-3:30pm

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:00am-9:00am

Zlotnik Pre-Function

TAM Annual Business Meeting

8:15am-9:00am

Salons 3 & 4

Join us as TAM introduces its newest Council members and holds its annual business meeting, where members will review the organization’s top priorities and direction for 2026 and beyond.

TAM Awards Ceremony

9:15am-10:00am

Salons 3 & 4

Celebrate the best of Texas museums with us! This is a chance to recognize museum industry award winners for their incredible work. Featured winners include the Jo Stewart Randel Outstanding Trustee Award, Jack Nokes Outstanding Service Award, Mitchell A. Wilder Publication Design Award Competition, the Texas Association of Museums Media Innovation & Excellence Awards (TAMMIEs), and the inaugural Texas Association of Museums Advocacy Award.

Networking Break

10:00am-10:30am

Award Winners Join Us on Stage for Pictures

Informed Decisions: Using Museum Visitor Data to Envision, Plan, and Make Change

10:30am-11:30am

Salons 3 & 4

Each fall, American Alliance of Museums and Wilkening Consulting partner to gather visitor data from Texas museums, with the Annual Survey of Museum Goers. The data collected reveal statewide, regional, and museum-specific trends, giving insight into museum visitor desires, and values. In this panel, participating Texas science, art, and history museum leaders share their experiences with the Survey, including process, methodology, analysis, and the practical application of museum data for strategic planning, board education, community outreach, and more.

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Regina Faden

Regina Faden

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History

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Amanda Blake

Amanda Blake

Amon Carter Museum of American Art

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Noël Koehn

Noël Koehn

Wilkening Consulting

On the Road: Teacher Travel Professional Development

10:30am-11:30am

Salon 1

In 2024, for the first time, the Alamo hosted multiple free travel professional development programs for teachers to Texas Revolution sites and Mexico City. Educators gained new perspectives and enthusiasm that invigorated their teaching practice, engaging students in the historical content more vividly. Participants will consider offsite teacher education and how it may strengthen their professional network, grow their teacher audience, and address permanent or temporary space constraints.

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Rosemary Kriegel

Rosemary Kriegel

The Alamo

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Alexander Rivard

Alexander Rivard

The Alamo

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Heike Jenkins

Heike Jenkins

Texas Historical Commission

Transformations: Physically and Intellectually Moving Museum Collections

10:30am-11:30am

Salon 5

Join the Collections staff of the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the Crow Museum of Asian Art to learn about moving collections under two very different circumstances. One moved during a global pandemic, the other moved into a museum under construction.

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Stephanie Allen-Givens

Stephanie Allen-Givens

Crow Museum of Asian Art at the University of Texas at Dallas

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Charles Camp

Charles Camp

Crow Museum of Asian Art at the University of Texas at Dallas

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Devorah Hale

Devorah Hale

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

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Karen Morton

Karen Morton

Perot Museum of Nature and Science

Museum Hot Seat: What’s on Your Mind?

10:30am-11:30am

Salon 6

What’s on everyone’s mind in the museum world? You tell us! In this interactive session, we’re tackling the most pressing topics submitted anonymously by TAM members—no question is off-limits. A moderator will guide the discussion, diving into the challenges, trends, and hot topics that matter most to you. Whether you’re here to listen, share insights, or get advice, come ready to talk and engage in a dynamic conversation shaped by your peers.

Networking & Exhibitor Break

11:30am-12:00pm

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Lunch Buffet

12:00pm-12:15pm

Zlotnik Pre-Function

Lunch and Keynote: Creative Aging Comes of Age - In Museums

12:15pm-1:00pm

Salons 3 & 4

Teresa Bonner will give an overview of the Vitality Arts Project for Art Museums initiative that helped art museums strategically reframe their relationships with older adults – to understand them as essential, competent, creative and contributing participants in the life of the museum – and to create Vitality Arts programs designed for them. Each museum developed art-making programs for older adults to address the growing awareness of ageism in our society and in recognition of the role that art museums can play in providing creative aging opportunities to the community. Paul Coffey will address how the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Glassell School of Art achieved the ambitious goals of the Vitality Arts Project in collaboration with underserved communities of older adults in Houston, Texas. The project What I Know and When I Knew It is MFAH’s answer to Vitality Arts proposition.

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Teresa Bonner

Teresa Bonner

E.A. Michelson Philanthropy

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Paul Coffey

Paul Coffey

Glassell School of Art, Museum of Fine Arts Houston

Break

1:00pm-1:15pm

Inclusive and Belonging Leadership: Building Stronger Teams and Organizations with the Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Affinity Group

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salons 3 & 4

Join IDEA (Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Access) for a presentation from special guest speaker Tonya Veasey, President and CEO of Open Channels Group+.

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Tonya Veasey

Tonya Veasey

Open Channels Group+

'The Color Inside' with the Art Affinity Group (AAG)

1:15pm-2:15pm

Meet in the AT&T Center lobby at 1:15 to travel as a group to the Landmark public art installation.

The Art Affinity Group (AAG) roundtable exploring public art as an educational tool will take place at the “The Color Inside” by James Turrell on the University of Texas at Austin campus. This installation, a work in the Landmark public art collection, is a naked-eye observatory on top of the WCP building, where visitors view the sky through an oculus in the ceiling. Begin the session with a mediation in the space led by Landmark Education Coordinator, Catherine Whited. A roundtable conversation facilitated in part by Whited will follow.

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Catherine Whited

Catherine Whited

University of Texas at Austin, Landmarks

'Not Another Furniture Tour!': Connect Historic House Museums with the 21st Century Community

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 1

Focusing on historic house museums with varying collections and visitor involvement, this talk looks at options for staff to encourage interest in their sites through programs and exhibits grounded in a reexamination of their objects. Based on current initiatives at art and history museums, we will discuss using collections as a starting place for dialogs that connect audiences with contemporary social and community interests. We hope to provide curators and interpreters with a new framework for looking at material culture by walking through examples using artifacts from the Texas Historical Commission’s Historic Sites.

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Jamie A. Ross

Jamie A. Ross

Texas Historical Commission

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Sara Nezamabadi

Sara Nezamabadi

Texas Historical Commission

Most Expensive Mistakes Museum Administrators Make You Easily Can Avoid

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 5

Want to make sure your institution follows both the letter and the spirit of laws related to collections and exhibitions? Laura Fowler, from Fowler Law Firm, will discuss how to turn “best intentions” into best practices in ownership, use, and promotion of art and artifacts, sharing what to do before, not after, you discover an issue.

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Laura Fowler

Laura Fowler

Fowler Law Firm

Bridging Art & Play: Creating Public Spaces for Community, Culture, and Collaboration

1:15pm-2:15pm

Salon 6

When designing outdoor art that is meant for public interaction, what perspectives are important to consider? From playscapes to monumental bronze, how can we honor our heritage and serve our communities through the design process? This session explores two diverse projects—life-size mammoth sculptures at the Mayborn Museum and an outdoor children’s exhibit at Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill State Historic Sites, the interactivity and creativity involved, and what we didn’t realize we didn’t know!

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Jenny Townzen

Jenny Townzen

Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill SHS (Texas Historical Commission)

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Gavin Miculka

Gavin Miculka

Kreische Brewery & Monument Hill SHS (Texas Historical Commission)

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Trey Crumpton

Trey Crumpton

Mayborn Museum

Break

2:15pm-2:30pm

Rising from the Rubble: Community Building in the Wake of Disaster

2:30pm-3:30pm

Salon 1

In Feb/March of 2024, the largest wildfire in Texas history ripped through the Panhandle. Feeling helpless, Discovery Center staff identified ways we could think and act outside the box to be a present and helpful member of our community. DCC staff will share strategies for connection and support, from opening their doors to the public to hosting Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday with our neighboring wildlife rescue. This session will identify ways museums can connect in unique ways with other organizations to support communities during and after loss.

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Daniella Ramos

Daniella Ramos

Don Harrington Discovery Center

When Museums and Libraries Collide

2:30pm-3:30pm

Salons 3 & 4

On university and college campuses, exhibits in non-museum spaces are not uncommon. Libraries, in particular, are expected to have dedicated exhibit spaces to showcase their collections. While the core mission of academic libraries revolves around access and research, they are also home to rare materials that are only sometimes found in typical museums. These exhibit spaces enhance the library's mission by providing context and insight into the institution's unique holdings

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Kali Mercy

Kali Mercy

Perot Family Collections

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Rachel Lavenda

Rachel Lavenda

University of Pittsburgh Library System, Archives & Special Collections

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Megan Massanelli

Megan Massanelli

University of Pittsburgh

Who's Got the Buckets: Bailing Yourself out of Situations You Weren't Trained For

2:30pm-3:30pm

Salon 6

Every museum leader faces challenges that feel overwhelming—burnout, imposter syndrome, unexpected disasters, and more. How do we navigate these situations, stay in control, and lead effectively when our degrees didn’t prepare us for everything? In this session, we’ll share strategies to prioritize problems, manage crises without reaching burnout, and put difficult moments into perspective. Attendees will learn how to step back, maintain balance, and recognize their role as professionals equipped to handle tough situations with confidence. Join us to gain tools for managing yourself and your team through life’s most difficult moments.

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Alysha Richardson

Alysha Richardson

Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum

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Emily Smith

Emily Smith

Temple Children's Museum

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Veronica Amoe

Veronica Amoe

City of Nacogdoches Historic Sites Division

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Logan Baird

Logan Baird

Museum Professional

Playing Detective: Maintaining Outdoor Public Art When Information is Lacking

2:30pm-3:30pm

Salon 5

In a perfect world, outdoor artworks would have detailed maintenance manuals full of instructions, photos and advice. In reality, many collections managers must don their detective hats to deduce the best means to maintain particular artworks. In this session, public art professionals will highlight recent maintenance projects which required creative thinking in finding information, determining when to consult outside experts, executing the task, and archiving projects. Topics discussed will include: working with incomplete or inaccessible documentation; assessing and adapting to physical issues; and communication challenges. The presenters will also share multiple pathways to success that were found or forged from these instances, and how such experiences can lead to better records, strong networks of diverse specialists, and longer lifetimes for public artworks.

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Kirstin Cutts

Kirstin Cutts

City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture

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Lindsay Hamm Havekost

Lindsay Hamm Havekost

Landmarks, the public art program of the University of Texas at Austin

TAM Academic Project Showcase Competition

3:30pm-5:30pm

Bullock Museum Austin Room

See the future of Texas museum professionals on display at the Bullock Museum’s Austin room, where students will present their research contributions to the museum field before a state-wide audience of scholars and museum professionals.

Austin Museum Activations

3:30pm-5:30pm

Bullock Museum Austin Room

TAM is excited to offer educational activities highlighting Austin’s local institutions. Join us across the street at the Bullock Museum’s Austin room for hands-on engagement experiences.

Evening Events

5:00pm-6:00pm

Texas Science and Natural History Museum

Join your Capitol Mall colleagues in celebrating TAM’s 50th anniversary! Behind-the-scenes tours at the State Library and Archives, Capitol Grounds, The General Land Office, and historic Gethsemane Catholic Church, plus Great Promise for American Indians and special guest musical performances, whiskey tasting, 1970s throwback movie reels from the Texas Archive of the Moving Image, curators/archivists/educators meet-up, Tamster photo-ops, and delicious hors d’oeuvres await!

Evening Events

5:00pm-8:00pm

The Contemporary Austin - Jones Center

Building Bridges: Advocacy for Impact at the State Legislature

8:00am-9:00am

Salons 3 & 4

Join us for a timely panel discussion on the power of legislative advocacy in shaping the future of Texas museums. Learn how to effectively navigate policy-making from experienced experts, and come away with tools to secure vital support and resources for our cultural institutions.

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Chris Kiley

Chris Kiley

Texans for the Arts

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Representative Vilma Luna

Representative Vilma Luna

Government Affairs & Legislative Consulting

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Aschelle Morgan

Aschelle Morgan

Dallas Museum of Art

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Jenny Parry

Jenny Parry

Texas Cultural Trust

TAM at the Texas State Capitol

11:00am

Texas State Capitol

Join us at the Texas State Capitol to hear TAM's 50th Anniversary proclomation read. After, consider staying to visit your state representative at the Capitol for an opportunity to advocate for your museum and share the importance of cultural institutions in your community.

Putting It All Together: Preparing for 2026 at Small History Organizations

9:15am-12:15pm

Salon 1

The U.S. 250th is an opportunity to share history that tells everyone's story and to strengthen the history field. AASLH has developed key resources to help practitioners both conceptually and concretely plan for this commemoration's transformative potential. Attend this workshop to learn more about the Making History at 250 field guide, our new handbook of low-resource programming ideas, and how to effectively apply these tools to your site or organization.

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Melissa Prycer

Melissa Prycer

Prycer Consulting

Full S.T.E.A.M Ahead: How to Foster the S.T.E.A.M. Mindset in Your Museum

9:15am-12:15pm

Salon 2

Everything is science! Everything is art! Explore how you can incorporate a S.T.E.A.M. mindset into your facility using cross-curricular, multi-modal approaches to help connect all learners to your core subject matter. S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) has been a buzzword for some time and is often used to help justify field trips or get donors on board with an eye to workforce preparedness. Recently, an A for Art has been added to change the S.T.E.M. to S.T.E.A.M. but, rather than treating art as a science and vice versa, art is often used superficially to convey scientific concepts. Additionally, museums that do not deal directly with science or art as a core subject matter, may find it more difficult to make meaningful connections to S.T.E.A.M. in their programming and displays. Looking at subject matter in a cross-curricular, multi-modal way is fundamental for making all learners feel successful, creating equitable pathways for discovery and creating meaningful connections to content.

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Kathleen Havens

Kathleen Havens

Houston Museum of Natural Science

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Nicole Temple

Nicole Temple

Houston Museum of Natural Science

Innovative and Non-Traditional Strategies: Relaunching Your Museum for The Future

9:15am-12:15pm

Salons 3 & 4

In today's competitive environment, museums must continuously innovate and adapt their fundraising, hiring and social enterprise strategies to ensure sustainable growth and success. This workshop will explore cutting-edge approaches to expanding social enterprise/branding, fundraising operations and hiring practices, focusing on practical examples, audience participation, and diverse perspectives. Attendees will learn how to effectively diversify their funding sources, leverage community partnerships, and implement best hiring practices and new technology-driven tools, implement board diversification strategies and new fundraising solutions and social enterprise opportunities. Guest panelists include; Teresa Heidt, Neiman Marcus; Catharine Recht, Frontiers of Flight Museum; and Allison Allen, GTN Consulting.

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Abigail Erickson-Torres

Abigail Erickson-Torres

Frontiers of Flight Museum

Preserving Moving Images: Building Confidence with Archival Media Formats

9:15am-12:15pm

Salon 5

Cultural workers face a challenging lack of hands-on educational opportunities to learn the basics of preserving archival audiovisual materials. Our workshop addresses the growing need for media preservation skills among archivists, historians, curators, genealogists, and generally those who work with historic materials. In this 3 hour workshop, participants will learn how to identify common media formats, conduct preservation assessments, and digitize video formats. Attendees will become confident in their ability to identify and preserve analog film and video formats and gain the skills necessary to work with these materials when encountering them in the field. This workshop is hosted by Ari Negovschi Regalado, Technical Director of Texas Archive of the Moving Image.

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Ari Negovschi Regalado

Ari Negovschi Regalado

Texas Archive of the Moving Image

Don't Just Prepare for the Last War: Informed Emergency Preparedness

9:15am-12:15pm

Salon 6

Emergency preparedness is as much about understanding the risks a museum faces and mitigating those risks as it is about gathering resources to recover from their impacts. Using risk assessment and after-action review tools, online resources, and active mitigation steps, museums can target their emergency preparedness efforts and resources effectively amid changing staff, climate, and demographics. THC historic sites speakers will present experiences with some of the most common emergencies with lessons learned, and basic long- and short-range preparedness steps. This will focus on medical emergencies, grassland fires, and severe weather events.

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Stephen Kelly

Stephen Kelly

Texas Historical Commission

Landmarks Tour: Public Art at UT Austin

10:00am-11:30am

AT&T Hotel and Conference Center Lobby

Join a walking tour with Landmarks staff to see highlights from UT Austin’s award-winning public art program. Comprised of 50 modern and contemporary works by some of the most admired artists of our time, the collection is one of the most distinguishing features of the main campus. On this tour, you will see installations by artists José Parlá, Raoul Hague, and others, and learn about Landmarks’ process for selecting and funding new projects. Participants will be on foot for the entirety of the tour.

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Catherine Whited

Catherine Whited

University of Texas at Austin, Landmarks

Briscoe Center for American History Tour History and Fate: The Goodwins and The 1960s

10:00am-11:30am

The Briscoe Center: Please meet the shuttle outside the west entrance of the conference center on Whitis Avenue between 20th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The shuttle will pick up between the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center and Rowling Hall.

History and Fate: The Goodwins and the 1960s Join Dr. Sarah Sonner, Associate Director for Curation at the Briscoe Center for American History, for a private guided tour of History and Fate: The Goodwins and the 1960s, an exhibition that presents the events and pivotal figures of the decade through the papers of Doris Kearns Goodwin and Richard N. Goodwin. The exhibition traces the entwining stories of the Goodwins' relationship, their proximity to power, and reflections on a tumultuous era seen in its most intimate moments. On the tour, Dr. Sonner will also talk about working with archival materials and the role Dr. Goodwin played in the creation of the exhibition. Attendees meet at the entrance to the Briscoe Center for American History

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Dr. Sarah Sonner

Dr. Sarah Sonner

Briscoe Center for American History

Black Austin History Tour with Visit Austin

10:00am-12:30pm

Please meet the shuttle outside the west entrance of the conference center on Whitis Avenue between 20th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The shuttle will pick up between the AT&T Hotel and Conference Center and Rowling Hall.

Join celebrated tour guide and native Austinite Harrison Eppright on an exploration of Black Austin history from the city's founding up through school desegregation in the 1970s. The tour will visit important sites of Black Austin history in Central Austin and then explore the East Side, where the Black community consolidated in the twentieth century. Optional: Pay your own way lunch at Hoover’s after the tour. Further info will be sent to registrants.

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Harrison Eppright

Harrison Eppright

Visit Austin