Collette Michaud, President and Acting Executive Director
collette@childrensmuseumnb.org
Collette has over 20 years of experience working in software design as an artist, animator, game designer, art manager and project leader. For more than ten years, she was a key innovator and manager for Lucas Learning and LucasArts Entertainment Company. While at LucasArts, Collette was a part of the executive management team and was the third employee recruited and hired to help launch Lucas Learning LTD. During her tenure at Lucas Learning, Collette worked with teachers, scientists, and young children to create award winning educational software products. Her roles included art director, writer, designer, and project leader. In 1996 Collette was featured on the cover of USA Today as one of the hardest workers in the Bay Area tech industry. In 2001, Collette left the software industry to raise her two young sons. Having children of her own opened her eyes to the real need for hands-on experiential learning outside of the computer. She has dedicated her time and energy to the creation of a children's museum in Sonoma County because of her belief in real interactive worlds rather than virtual ones.
Bernice Callahan, Vice-president
bernice@childrensmuseumnb.org
Ms. Callahan has more than 30 years experience as a primary school teacher, a parent educator, and family counselor. She holds a Master's Degree in Special Education and has served as a consultant to the California State Department of Education. Ms. Callahan is the founder of the California Parenting Institute, a non-profit family education agency now located in Santa Rosa. As program administrator in that agency she conducted community needs surveys, recruited and trained personnel, instituted administrative and accounting procedures, and created a successful public relations and fund-raising campaign.
Douglas S. Kay, Treasurer
doug@childrensmuseumnb.org
During his 24 years experience in the entertainment and technology industry, Mr. Kay has played major roles in the development, production, and business practices in several companies that produce graphics, video, web-content and CD-ROM products for children. He was the chief technical officer at LucasArts Entertainment and in 1985 he founded the computer graphics department for the well known Industrial Light and Magic Co. By 1994 he was managing a staff of 150 and he is the recipient of an Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Technical Achievement award. He has a Master's in Computer Graphics from Cornell University and has lectured for the entrepreneurship programs at both Cornell and Stanford Universities.
Joe Horak, Board Member
jhorak@sonomacounty.com
Mr. Horak currently works for Pacific Gas & Electric Copany as an Account Manager. He was previously in charge of Marketing for the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau and before that a manager for the Sonoma County Economic Development Board. Mr. Horak has also worked in community relations for Cisco Systems and has extensive experience in corporate communications and media relations. He recently completed his degree in Public Administration at Sonoma State University.
Julia Grimsrud, Board Member
julia@childrensmuseumnb.org
Mrs. Grimsrud has over 10 years experience in corporate development, financial planning and analysis, and strategic planning. Her background includes experience with various types of corporate development deals including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, alliances, strategic partnership investments as well as divestitures. She held several roles at the California State Automobile Association during her tenure there - most recently as the Director of the Travel Division. Julia has a BA from the University of California at Davis and an MBA from the University of Rochester's William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration.
Julie Ratto, Board Member
julie_ratto@yahoo.com
Julie has over 10 years' experience in clinical and pharmalogical research, as well as medical nutrition therapy and patient education. In 2004, she left the medical industry to raise her family, which now includes two young daughters. She has been an active member of the Junior League of Napa-Sonoma for nearly 10 years, including serving on the Board for 3 years. She is also a volunteer with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Julie holds a BS Degree in Biochemistry and is a Registered Dietitian.
Michelle Gervais, Board Member
mg@archilogix.com
Partner: ArchiLOGIX Design and Development, Santa Rosa
Bryan Neill, Former Board Member
bryan.neill@printing-mailing.com
Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Goode Printing and Mailing in Rohnert Park.
Theresa Giacomino, Volunteer Coordinator Former past Board Member
theresa@childrensmuseumnb.org
Ms. Giacomino has 19 years of experience working with children in preschool and after-school programs. She completed her teaching units in Early Childhood Education at the College of Marin and Santa Rosa Junior College. Her early training as a docent for the acclaimed Terwilliger Nature Education Center made a lasting impact that inspires her ability to help children connect with the world of nature.
Amanda Bull, Advocate, Volunteer, and Former Board Member
Ms. Bull has a successful 15-year career in interactive design and has developed and tested educational software for companies such as Mattel, Sony and Broderbund. She runs her own consulting company and recently worked on a NIH-funded project for struggling readers.
Kathleen McGill, Advocate, Volunteer, and Former Board Member
Ms. McGill is a certified public accountant with 25 years of accounting and office administration experience. Her work has included performing audits for wineries, retail businesses and non-profits. She is currently a self-employed consultant to small businesses and an active member of the Petaluma Mother's Club.
Melanie Lamoureux, Advocate and Volunteer
Melanie Lamoureux worked for seven years at Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation (MECC) in research and design for children's educational software development. She also worked for four years at Lucas Learning where she conducted testing to understand how children related to the products being designed. She currently runs her own usability and design consulting businesses.
Board of Advisers
Kristen Berger Donor Relations Manager, Sonoma Volunteer Center, Santa Rosa
Zach Berkowitz Corporate Real Estate, Santa Rosa
James Henderson Henderson and Associates Architects, Santa RosaDoug Hilberman Architect, AXIA, Santa RosaKaren Johnson Director, Schultz Museum, Santa Rosa
Ned Kahn Public Artist and Inventor, Graton
Emily Kirkpatrick Assistant Principal, Roseland Elementary School, Santa RosaJanet McBeen Retired Kindergarten Teacher, PetalumaGina Moreland Founder/Executive Director, Habitot Children's Museum, BerkeleyGrace Ormsby Director of Hospitality Redwoods Estate, Santa Rosa
Janet Petitpas Past Executive Director, Bay Area Discovery Museum, SausolitoMargaret Potts Kindergarten Teacher, McNear Elementary School, Petaluma
Linda Rosen Non-Profit Assistance Group, Santa Rosa
Herb Williams Delphi, Santa Rosa
