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STAFF AT THE HISTORY CENTER
Explore our Employment page for details about open positions.
| Ben Sandberg Executive Director Phone: (607) 273-8284 x 222 Email: director@thehistorycenter.net Pronouns: He/Him/His Office: Second Floor of the Tompkins Center for History & Culture - Suite 204A Ben joined The History Center team in August 2019. He brings over a decade of well-traveled experience working and leading cultural institutions. He received his undergraduate degree from Oberlin College, and a Masters in Public Administration from the Cornell Institute for Public Affairs. His strategic vision is grounded in the belief that history - especially local history - is the connective tissue of communities. It is a singularly powerful tool for examining community issues today, and developing equitable solutions for the future. He is passionate about the accessibility of cultural institutions, and strives towards a world where everyone has a right to access and shape their community's cultural output. He is an accomplished industrial artist, pianist, and a fervent advocate of T. Roosevelt's "Strenuous Life" mantra. Ben also serves on the Board of Directors for the Discovery Trail (Treasurer), Tompkins County Historical Commission, Downtown Ithaca Alliance, and Tompkins Connect. |
| Donna Eschenbrenner Director of Archives and Research Services Phone: (607) 273-8284 x 224 Email: archives@thehistorycenter.net Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Office: First Floor of Tompkins Center for History & Culture within the Research Library Donna began working at The History Center (then called the DeWitt Historical Society) in 1999 as a volunteer in the archives. She later worked on cataloging and rehousing artifacts for the Historic Treasures Unwrapped! project, and became archivist in 2001, where she has been ever since. Her primary goal is to make The History Center's diverse collections as accessible as possible. In addition to managing the Archives and Cornell Local History Research Library, she enjoys teaching archival workshops and fostering a love for historical materials in students and researchers of all ages. |
| Cindy Kjellander-Cantu Curator Phone: (607) 273-8284 x 223 Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Office: First Floor of Tompkins Center for History & Culture within the Research Library Cindy is originally from Texas and has been living in New York for over 20 years. With a background in Graphic Design, Photography and Digital Media Arts. She especially enjoys working with students involved in community based projects. Building off of the knowledge of design, her passion is using digital technology channels and history as a way to unite and expose the cultural relationships that make up communities. Cindy also serves on the Board of Directors of the Dryden Town Historical Society. |
| Jane Koestler, Youth Educator & Eight Square Schoolhouse Coordinator Email: eightsquare@thehistorycenter.net Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Office: Second Floor of the Tompkins Center for History & Culture - Suite 204A Jane joined The History Center as a part-time educator in 2023 and transitioned to this position after working two seasons as a schoolmarm at our Eight Square Schoolhouse. Jane earned her B.A. in Psychology from Cornell University, M.S. from SUNY College at Cortland, and National Board Certification as a Middle Childhood Generalist in 2017. She is also a New York Master Teacher, Emeritus. She taught 3rd-6th grade students during her 33-year tenure as a teacher, primarily working for the Ithaca City School District. She and her husband have two grown children, live in the country near Trumansburg, and recently helped her parents relocate to Ithaca. They have a large garden, and she is chief harvester and processor at “Fat Rabbit Farm”. Outside of work, she loves reading, singing, and walking, and participates in two monthly book groups. She is excited to join the staff at The History Center to create and facilitate educational opportunities for children and youth in our community. |
| Eve Snyder PhD, Historian & Project Director of HistoryForge Email: historyforge@thehistorycenter.net Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Office: Second Floor of the Tompkins Center for History & Culture - Suite 204A A HistoryForge volunteer since 2018, Eve joined The History Center staff Eve also serves on the Tompkins County Historical Commission. |
| BrierMae Ossont Community Engagement Manager Phone: (607) 273-8284 x 229 Email: community@thehistorycenter.net Pronouns: They/Them/Theirs Office: Second Floor of the Tompkins Center for History & Culture - Suite 204A BrierMae joined the History Center of Tompkins County in the summer of 2024. They have a B.A. in English, Creative Writing. Professionally, they pursue communications and marketing experiences with a targeted focus on strategy and social media. They've been a lifelong lover of museums and are passionate about making specialized educational experiences accessible to all walks of life.BrierMae relocated to the Finger Lakes from Georgetown, NY, and is a writer and artist in their time away from the History Center. |
The History Center in Tompkins County provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, The History Center in Tompkins County complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
The History Center in Tompkins County expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of The History Center in Tompkins County's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.
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