Leadership

Photo: Rachel Ormiston/Burke Museum
Photo: Rachel Ormiston/Burke Museum

UW College of Arts & Sciences

The Burke Museum is governed by the University of Washington Board of Regents and administered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Executive Director

portrait of gabriela chavarria in the burke museumGabriela Chavarria

Dr. Gabriela Chavarria serves as the Executive Director of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. In this role, Dr. Chavarria carries forward the Burke's mission to care for and share natural and cultural collections so all people can learn, be inspired, generate knowledge, feel joy, and heal. 

Prior to the Burke, she served as the VP and Chief Curator, Science Division, at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Previously, she was senior science advisor and forensic science branch chief at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife National Forensics Laboratory. Dr. Chavarria received her bachelor’s degree in biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and her master’s and Ph.D. in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University.

Growing up in Mexico City, Dr. Chavarria developed a passion for nature and science at an early age, especially for bees. She has devoted her career to the conservation of native pollinators, especially bumble bees. Her recent work as a wood anatomist focused on fighting the illegal trafficking of tropical hardwoods. Dr. Chavarria has conducted research in more than 30 countries throughout the world and sits on numerous boards and advisory councils, including the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the National Parks Conservation Association, Defenders of Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy of Colorado, and the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Photo: Timothy Kenney/Burke Museum

Executive Staff

Michelle Banks, Director of Development

Andrew Flannery, Administrator

Melissa Kennedy, Director of Interpretation

Joanne Matsusaka, Director of Communications

Polly Olsen (Yakama), Director of Diversity, Equity,
Access, Inclusion & Decolonization / Tribal Liaison

Nicole Robert, Director of Visitor Experience

Curators

Holly Barker, Curator for Oceanic and Asian Culture

Katie Bunn-Marcuse, Curator of Northwest Native Art

Sara Gonzalez, Curator of Archaeology and Associate Director for Research & Collections

Sven Haakanson, Curator of Native American Anthropology

Peter Lape, Curator of Archaeology

Adam Leaché, Curator of Genetic Resources & Herpetology

Gregory Wilson Mantilla, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology 

Alejandro Rico-Guevara, Curator of Ornithology

Sharlene Santana, Curator of Mammals

Christian Sidor, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology

Caroline Strömberg, Curator of Paleobotany

Luke Tornabene, Curator of Fishes

Carrie M. Tribble, Herbarium Curator

a student and professor look at art together

Our Work

At the Burke, we bring together people, objects, and the stories that make them meaningful.

Photo: Timothy Kenney/Burke Museum
Photo: Timothy Kenney/Burke Museum