Lightning Session: Building and Shifting Organizational Culture

Monday, September 8, 2025

11:15 AM - 12:15 PM US PT

Location: 2003

Curiosity Cued the Craft: Centering Values in Building Organizational Evaluation Culture
Evaluation is often compulsory, if not always perceived as needed or wanted. How do we shift the practice of evaluation from “Need To” to “Want To” and “Get To”? This presentation examines an approach to building organization-wide evaluation practice by centering curiosity in organizational culture.
Presenters
Anika Taylor – The Bakken Museum

Sharing Lessons Learned From 2020–2024 That Transformed a Dying Institution Into a Thriving Community Resource Using Data-Driven Decisions in Alignment With a Strategic Plan To Grow Capacity and Trust
The SHU Discovery Science Center and Planetarium shares lessons learned from 2020-2024 that transformed a dying institution into a thriving community resource using data-driven decisions in alignment with a strategic plan to grow capacity and trust among staff and external stakeholders.
Presenters
Erika Eng – SHU Discovery Science Center and Planetarium

Shifting Organizational Culture To Embrace Our Young Visitors
Historically, museums were seen as studious spaces of quiet contemplation where younger visitors may not fit the description. How can we shift organizational workplace culture to view typical developmental engagement of young visitors as appropriate?
Presenters
Annie Young – Natural History Museum of Utah
Mara Salfer – Natural History Museum of Utah

Sticking Together: How Blue Tape Brings Museum Workers Into Conversation and Community.
Learn about "Blue Tape", a citywide collective for museum exhibit and collection professionals. Through quarterly meetups, we foster cross institutional connections, while sharing experience, strategies, and support. Discover lessons and insights for starting similar networks in your own cities. Creating a vital community in a rapidly changing museum field.
Presenters
Marcos Medellin – The Witte Museum

Timshel Purdum

Virginia C. Ellett Deputy Director of Education
Science Museum of Virginia, United States
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Erika Eng

Executive Director
SHU Discovery Science Center and Planetarium, United States
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Marcos P. Medellin

Director of Exhibits
The Witte Museum, United States
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Anika Taylor

Vice President of Programs
The Bakken Museum, United States
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Mara Salfer

STEM Education Coordinator
Natural History Museum of Utah, United States
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Annie Young

Field Trip and Teacher Resources Manager
Natural History Museum of Utah, United States