Crew manifest
Staff & Board directory
About Our Organization
The Coos County Historical Society, founded in 1891 is a private, not-for-profit organization supported entirely by admission fees, Museum store sales, rentals, memberships, donations, and grants. We are recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service: tax ID # 93-0446513.
You may donate by check or credit card, over the phone or donate online. Donations to the organization are tax-deductible.
The Coos History Museum is an active member of the American Alliance of Museums, North American Reciprocal Museum Association, Oregon Museums Association, Museum Store Association, and American Association for State and Local History.
We implement our mission through professional staff with the invaluable assistance of our dedicated volunteers. You can read more about our history here.
Staff Directory
Heather Christenbury
Executive Director & Curator
Heather has been active in the field of museums since 2001. Beginning her work in the field of anthropology, she received her B.A. from the University of Colorado with Summa Cum Laude honors. Her thesis, People of the Spear: Impacts of Development and Conservation on the Maasai Culture was based on her work while living with the Maasai in Tanzania, Africa while also completing archeological field season. Heather moved on to work for the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Cambridge, England. She also used her time abroad to travel to various countries and archaeological sites to further her knowledge of world cultures. After returning to the United States, Heather completed her M.A. in Museum Studies through the University of Oklahoma.
Heather’s impact on the museum landscape continued to grow as she took on roles at prestigious museums in the Denver area, serving as a consultant, curator, and collections manager. Her journey led her to the Oregon Coast, where she embarked on a new chapter as the Curator of the Coos History Museum in the fall of 2021. Her tenure was marked by significant changes, including the creation of new exhibits and a comprehensive overhaul of the museum’s operations and collections practices. Recognizing her transformative leadership, Heather was appointed as the Executive Director in 2023. In addition to her role at the Coos History Museum, she is also the President of the Oregon Museums Association, acting as the chair of the DEAI committee and the Membership & Development committee.
Contact: director@cooshistory.org
Rachel Paul
Collections Manager
Rachel has been involved with museums, anthropology, archaeology and repatriation for many years. After obtaining her B.S. in Physical Anthropology from UC Davis, Rachel worked as an educator for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) and as an Anthropology Instructional Assistant for a community college. Later Rachel worked on NAGPRA (Native American Graves and Repatriation Act) policy for Oregon State and assisted the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) in Utah with NAGPRA processes. More recently, Rachel worked for the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon in Collections Management and NAGPRA procedures. Rachel is currently pursuing a Master’s in archaeology at Oregon State University where she studies Mayan ceramics.
Contact: rpaul@cooshistory.org
Sire Wren Pro
Museum Educator & Safety Officer
Sire has been involved with museums since she was 15, beginning as a weekend volunteer at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum throughout high school. There, she gained hands-on experience in education, paleontology, marine biology, taxidermy, and discovered her passion for archaeology.
She went on to study archaeology and history at the University of Oregon, graduating with honors in just three years and earning induction into Phi Beta Kappa. While at UO, Sire worked at both the Museum of Natural and Cultural History and the Neill Neuroscience Laboratory. She conducted research on a collection of trade beads from Alaska, which she presented at the 2023 Society for American Archaeology national meeting, and completed a senior thesis on crime and punishment in the British Admiralty (1600–1800), combining her interests in military and maritime history.
Less than a week after graduation, Sire joined the Coos History Museum team, first as Visitor Experience Manager and then as Museum Educator in January 2024. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Archaeology and Heritage from the University of Leicester.
Outside of work, Sire is a member of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Audubon Society, and the Nautical Archaeology Society. She is also a PADI-certified Rescue Diver and is pursuing her private pilot’s license. When not immersed in history, she enjoys birdwatching, flying, or trying her hand at a new outdoor activity.
Contact: education@cooshistory.org
Kayla Winston
Visitor Services Coordinator
Kayla Winston is a graduate student at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), where she is currently pursuing her MBA. Based in Coos Bay, Oregon, Kayla lives with her husband and three dogs, balancing her studies with her passion for history and the arts. With a deep interest in museum work and community service, Kayla is dedicated to bringing fresh ideas and a strong business mindset to the museum field. Her commitment to both education and community engagement shapes her approach to creating meaningful experiences for museum visitors.
Contact: info@cooshistory.org
Andrew McAffee
Bookkeeper & Office Manager
Galactic traveler Andrew McAffee resides in Port Orford with his partner, Lee, and their beloved cat, Muzzy. Outside of work, Andy enjoys diving into space adventures, teaching a Dungeons & Dragons course at the local library, exploring new video games, and all things sci-fi.
Contact: accounting@cooshistory.org
Board of Trustees
Susi Mendizabal
President
Barb Cribb
Vice-President
Jeremy Doze
Treasurer
Anne Guerin
Secretary
Paula Bechtold
Alycia Cossey
Samantha Herron
Shelley Estes
Bill Mast
