Episode 85: Guiding the Experience at a Time-Honored Institution, with Eliza Kozlowski & Stacey VanDenburgh

Being part of an established cultural institution is exhilarating and challenging all at the same time. You know you have so much to offer, but staying relevant and communicating your value is a job that never stops.

In this episode, we explore one such place, the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York. Eastman was a larger than life figure who left a lasting legacy especially in the world of photography and film. But of course, there is so much more to him and to the museum that bears his name. For our conversation, we have two guests joining us: Eliza Kozlowski and Stacey Vandenburgh.

Eliza is Director of Marketing and Engagement. She has worked at the museum since 1990. She oversees communications and marketing activities, publications, digital engagement, guest services, exhibitions, and programs. Eliza is a member of the board of the American Alliance of Museums and is past chair and current board member of the Public Relations and Marketing Professional Network of the American Alliance of Museums. She is a board member of the Museum Association of New York and past board member of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and house. Eliza is an active member of the Visit Rochester and is past a president of its active volunteer arm, the Visitor Industry Council. She is a past recipient of the “I Love New York Award” for cultural tourism promotion.

Stacey is the Guest Services Manager at the George Eastman Museum. In this role, she schedules group tours, manages staff at the Lipson Welcome Center, assigns mansion, gallery and garden tours to 50 docent volunteers and oversees the museum’s photography workshop program. Stacey graduated from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts with a BA in Art History. She also holds an MFA from the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology in Woodworking & Furniture Design. She has worked at the museum since 1996.

Before this role, she was the manager of the KR Whitmore Conservation Center and served as Assistant Registrar. She also worked for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as Conservation Technician in the Department of Objects Conservation. Stacey is active with Rochester’s CVB, Visit Rochester. She is currently the chair of the Group Tour and Travel Trade Sales Committee, a program of Visit Rochester’s Visitor Industry Council. The committee presents Greater Rochester as a preferred destination and stop-over in the travel trade and group tour programs. Members work collaboratively on sales missions, presentations, trade show exhibitions, education and overall market development.

Full show notes available here: https://breaktheicemedia.com/podcasts/eliza-kozlowski-stacey-vandenburgh/