The Team
The organization is supported by its team of nearly 175 staff and 300 volunteers and docents. From our guest services to finance, to educators and facilities, from development/ marketing, conservation, IT, and grill, to historic and living collections staff, we all work together to reach our mission.
Kurt Strand
President & CEO
Andy Allison
Vice President of Living Collections & Education
Nate Breitsprecker
Director of Sales & Guest Services
Jennifer Drayna
Director of Education
Errin Howard
Executive Director of RiverWorks Discovery®
Tommy Lange
Vice President of Finance & Operations
Paula Neuhaus
Director of Grants
John Oglesby
Director of Facilities
Wendy Scardino
Vice President of Development & Marketing
Nathan Smith
Director of IT & AV
Emma Sundberg
Director of Curatorial Services
Vicky Sutter
Director of Donor Engagement
2023 Dubuque County Historical Society and National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium Board of Directors
Tom Woodward
Chair
President & CEO, Woodward Communications, Inc.
Jim Gantz
Vice Chair
Lime-Rock Springs/Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. (retired)
Francis A. "Chip" Murray
Secretary
President & CEO, First Community Trust, N.A.-Investment Services (retired)
Sarah Hasken
Treasurer
Community Leader
Lori Thielen
Past Chair
CFO, Rainbo Oil
John M. Bickel
Senior VP, Shuttleworth & Ingersoll (retired)
Carol Bitter Purtell
Legal Assistant, Bitter Law Firm (retired)
Gina Blasen
Community Leader
Tim Butler
Vice President, Cottingham & Butler Insurance (retired)
Poppy Conlon
Vice President of Business Development, Conlon Construction
Mark Dickson
General Manager, John Deere Dubuque Works
Alex Dixon
CEO, Q Casino
Ken Furst
Partner, RSM (retired)
Teri Goodmann
Director of Strategic Partnerships, City of Dubuque
Amy Hawkins
Ex-Officio, Superintendent, Dubuque Community Schools
Wendy Knight
Founder and Collaborative Strategist, Focus Forward LLC
Tyson Leyendecker
President, Capra Bank
Ernestine Moss
Community Leader (retired)
Chuck Schrup
Co-Chairman of the Board & Chief Development Officer, American Trust & Savings Bank (retired)
Dean Wilgenbusch
Market President - Business Banking Team Manager, US Bank
Chad Wolbers
President & CEO, UnityPoint Health Finley Hospital
Emeritus Board Members
John Walsh
Paul Woodward