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Pleasanton’s Museum on Main has hired communications professional and community volunteer Kate Duggan to serve as its next executive director.
Duggan, who has lived in Pleasanton with her family for more than 20 years and previously served on the city’s Housing Commission among her local volunteer roles, succeeds Tony Cruz and becomes the downtown museum’s fourth leader since 2022.
“I’m personally excited about leading a place that I have a lot of affection for; with our central downtown location and outreach to schools and community groups, this is a place that resonates with families, businesses and visitors, young and old. Everyone knows the Museum on Main and has a positive association with it,” Duggan told the Pleasanton Weekly on Tuesday.
Linda Garbarino, president of the Museum on Main Board of Directors, praised Duggan as “a clear communicator and has a respect for the importance of our uniquely centralized museum as a cornerstone of the city. She has a positive attitude with solid ideas that will serve the full community.”
Duggan will oversee the museum’s day-to-day operations, staff development, fundraising and growing its education programming. She’ll be working closely this fall and winter with longtime museum curator Ken MacLennan to become more familiar with upcoming exhibitions and collections inside the museum in the heart of Main Street, according to Garbarino.
“Short term goals would be shoring up our staff and Board members for a smooth continuation of programs,” Duggan told the Weekly. “We are hiring for a new Membership & Visitors Service Manager – very sad that Rachel (Brickell) has resigned – and a few members of our Board are terming out in December. We’re a tiny place and everyone has an important role; my first priority is to get more hands on deck.”
As for longer-term goals, Duggan cited fundraising and expanding programs.
“We do have wonderful connections to businesses, since we’ve hosted and educated many employees during walking tours and internal presentations,” she said. “I’ll be focused on growing corporate sponsors with our value-add of that special connection to the community and our members.”
“The Ed Kinney Speaker Series at the Firehouse is one of the best I’ve seen with engagement and results. Our Ghost Walk, however, is struggling this year with ticket sales,” Duggan added. “Revising and rejuvenating select programs will be my other focus.”
Duggan worked most recently in volunteer services for Jewish Family & Community Services (JFCS) East Bay in Concord, and before that held marketing leadership roles at Shaklee Corporation, Albertsons Companies and other companies, according to museum officials.
A Massachusetts native who earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from Syracuse University, Duggan moved to Pleasanton in 2004 with her husband Kevin and two children. In addition to serving on the Pleasanton Housing Commission from 2019 to 2021, Duggan has volunteered with the National Charity League’s Pleasanton chapter, Meals on Wheels as a driver, Open Heart Kitchen and the Amador Valley High School Athletic Boosters.
She is taking the reins from Cruz, who resigned this summer after two years as Museum on Main’s executive director for a new job in real estate. He followed Sarah Schaefer, who held the role for the two years prior in the wake of the retirement of longtime leader Jim DeMersman in the fall of 2022.
“We are more than a museum,” Duggan said in a news release from the museum Tuesday. “We are a schoolhouse, a Visitor’s Center, and a community hub. I look forward to working with our dedicated Board, committed volunteers and talented staff on programs and exhibits that educate and enrich our local communities on the Tri-Valley.”
Such a great choice by the Museum BOD!! Couldn’t have thought of a better choice.
Congratulations to Kate as she assumes her new role. Congatulations to the museum for having the good fortune of having her accept the position. Our city’s residents will surely benefit from the selection.