Executive Director, W. James Burns
Dr. Burns holds a B.A. in History from the University of Arizona, an M.A. in Public History from Arizona State University, and a Ph.D. in Educational Policy Studies from Georgia State University. Burns is a graduate of the Museum Management Institute at the Getty and has worked in history, anthropology, and art museums since 1990 at organizations in Arizona, Georgia, Virginia, and Louisiana, including the Museum of Northern Arizona, the Booth Western Art Museum, the Louisiana State Museum, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the Tempe History Museum, and the Atlanta History Center.
Burns’ research interests include the cultural, social, and environmental history of the American West. His M.A. thesis (1994), Gateway to the Colorado Plateau: A Portrait of the Museum of Northern Arizona was an institutional history of MNA. His dissertation, We Must Grow Our Own Artists: Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Northern Arizona’s Early Art Educator (2010) focused on the contributions of Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, cofounder of the Museum of Northern Arizona, to the progressive education movement and the Native American arts and crafts movement.
Burns has served on a number of state and regional museum association boards and currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the Curators’ Committee of the American Association of Museums, as a peer reviewer for the Museum Assessment Program, and as a reviewer for the American Association of Museums’ Accreditation Program.
Curator of Education and Exhibitions, Mary Ann Igna
Since graduating from Duke University in 1972 with a BA in art history, Mary Ann has spent her career as an arts administrator. Her first job was at the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., followed by a stint at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as curator of its Bicentennial exhibition. She then moved to Michigan to become curator of exhibitions at Cranbrook Academy of Art before heading west for 13 years at the Denver Art Museum and 12 at the Aspen Art Museum where she was twice Interim Director.
Membership/Marketing Manager, Becky Rovey
Becky holds a B.A. in Latin American studies from the University of Arizona and Spanish from the University of Costa Rica. Becky is a graduate of Project Central, Center for Rural Leadership organized by the U of A. She has worked in public relations, education and advancement at museums and non-profits in Tucson, Phoenix and in Prescott, Arizona.
Assistant to the Director, Michelle Duncan-Gilbert
Michelle holds an A.A. in Broadcast Communications, an A.A. in Applied Arts from St. Clair College and a B.A. in Communications from Ferris State University. Michelle has worked in non-profits for all of her working career including the YMCA, the YWCA and the Council on Aging. She spent eight years training and working for the Port Huron Museums, in Port Huron, MI as the education facilitator, programs and events chair and as the relief manager for four satellite museums.
Visitors Services Manager, Marilu Rix
Marilu got her beginning in business in 1968 working in accounts receivable for Spencer Foods in Spencer, Iowa. From 1973 to 1986 she was a co-owner of Rudy’s Stateline Club in Spirit Lake, Iowa. From 1986 to 2004 she was employed as the Manager for the Americ Inn Hotel and Restaurant while also becoming a member of the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce, the Soroptimist International Organization, board member for the Wickenburg Community Services Corporation and a member of the Wickenburg Ducks in a Row Foundation.
Facilities and Securities Manager, Paul Hughes
Paul holds an A.A. in Liberal Arts and is certified in Machine Tool Technology. He has 26 years’ experience in Graphic Design and newspaper advertising. Paul was the owner of the Shopper News and was employed with the Wickenburg Sun for 10 years. He is also a self-employed furniture maker.
Other Staff
Housekeeper, Andrea Groves
Weekend Coordinator, Rachelle Lewis
Bookkeeper, Vivian House
Just for Kicks Manager, Bill Rix
Cowgirl Up Registrar, Linda Woley
Accountant, Roberta Jacobs