A community for museum professionals.
Expert Profile
Tiffany R. Isselhardt
Pronouns:
She/Her/Hers
Availability:
Available
Full-time
Position Type:
Bowling Green
Kentucky
United States of America
Years in the field:
11 – 15 Years
Areas of Expertise
Administrative Support, Curatorial/Collections, Development/Sponsorship/Institutional Advancement, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Access, Exhibits development, Grants/Foundational Giving, Information/Technology/Digital, Marketing & Communications, Membership Programs, Operations, Partnerships, Project Management, Strategic Planning
Building on a childhood love of Indiana Jones, visiting historic sites, and reading women’s history, I believe history should be accessible to and reflective of everyone in society. Influenced by early work in museums and their role as both producers and influencers of identity, I see museums as a primary vehicle for reinvigorating the arts, revitalizing struggling and hurting communities, and becoming heartbeats of a strong, diverse, equitable nation. I believe in dismantling the ivory tower of academia and making the rich resources of our past and present available to all in order to inspire a better world.
I hold a Master's in Public History and specialize in the historical interpretation of girls, the use of material culture as an interpretive tool ("object stories"), and museum administration. My core accomplishments include developing over 25 exhibitions (physical and virtual); leading and revitalizing strategic planning, fundraising, and fiscal management; and assisting in extending outreach to digital avenues such as websites, virtual programs, and podcasts. I have previously worked with Kentucky Museum at WKU, Museum Hack, Hickory Ridge Homestead (c. 1770s historic site), Blowing Rock Art & History Museum, and Girl Museum.
In addition to museums, I research girls as a marginalized and intersectional population, hoping to increase their representation in historical narratives and encourage museums to focus on girls as agents rather than subjects. My historical interests include Medieval/Early Modern Europe, Early America, and girls/women's history. I am the co-author of Exploring American Girlhood in 50 Historic Treasures (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and editor of A Girl Can Do: Recognizing and Representing Girlhood (Vernon Press, 2022), as well as numerous articles, presentations, and chapters in multi-author volumes.