Meet the Team
Building a team of exceptional people is key to our success. We take pride in the enthusiasm, motivation and focus of our staff, our vision and our values. Our team delivers first class exhibits, events and experiences with a personal approach.
Board of Directors
Officers
Board Members
Dave Effertz, Acting President
Elizabeth Anselmo
Tom Bonacci
Jerry Ganfield ​​​
Keith Holman​
Alexandra McGuire
Nancy Vaillancourt
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John Glynn
County Commissioner Liaison
Anne Peterson
Orphanage Museum Manager
Anne is an Owatonna native with a lifelong interest in history and genealogy. She majored in history at St. Cloud State College. During a nearly 30-year career at Federated Insurance, she earned various professional designations and a Certificate in Technical Communications from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Anne found passion in her next chapter working with local attractions as the Group Tour Coordinator for the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism. That led to a position managing the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum at West Hills, which she has held since 2013. In 2022, the Museum joined forces with the Steele County Historical Society.
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MaryAnne Higgins
Event, Program, Tour, & Volunteer Manager
MaryAnne has spent her career working in the recreation field where she gained experience working with children and adults. She attended Winona State University and has a B.A. in Recreation and Leisure Studies. MaryAnne has been an active member in the Owatonna community volunteering in numerous organizations, mentoring YSL students and was on the planning committee to help with the development of Owatonna High School Options program. Through these various experiences, she has honed her skills working with others and leading by example. She was nominated for the Owatonna Business Women 2015 Woman of Achievement Award.
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Amy Lowery
Archives & Collections Manager
Amy grew up in Postville, Iowa. Some of her most memorable summer vacations as a child were spent by a lake in Minnesota where she swam and went fishing. Fishing wasn’t her favorite activity, but she enjoyed reading while family fished. Today, she also enjoys cross stitching and knitting. She attended Iowa State University for degrees in Anthropology and Biology. There, she discovered her passion for museums as an elective in Museum Studies. Next, she went to Texas Tech University to get her master’s in Museum Science. She looks forward to continuing her career at the Steele County Historical Society. ​
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