Instructor Bios

Training & Classes:    List of Classes by Instructor

Helen Alten is the Director of Northern States Conservation Center and its chief Objects Conservator. For nearly 30 years she has been involved in objects conservation, starting as a pre-program intern at the Oriental Institute in Chicago and the University Museum of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed a degree in Archaeological Conservation and Materials Science from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of London in England. She has built and run conservation laboratories in Bulgaria, Montana, Greece, Alaska and Minnesota. She has a broad understanding of three-dimensional materials and their deterioration, wrote and edited the quarterly Collections Caretaker, maintains the popular www.collectioncare.org web site, lectures throughout the United States on collection care topics, was instrumental in developing a state-wide protocol for disaster response in small Minnesota museums, has written, received and reviewed grants for NEH and IMLS, worked with local foundations funding one of her pilot programs, and is always in search of the perfect museum mannequin. She has published chapters on conservation and deterioration of archeological glass with the Materials Research Society and the York Archaeological Trust, four chapters on different mannequin construction techniques in Museum Mannequins: A Guide for Creating the Perfect Fit (2002), preservation planning, policies, forms and procedures needed for a small museum in The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums’ Collection Initiative Manual, and is co-editor of the penultimate book on numbering museum collections (still in process) by the Gilcrease Museum in Oklahoma. Helen Alten has been a Field Education Director, Conservator, and staff trainer. She began working with people from small, rural, and tribal museums while as the state conservator for Montana and Alaska. Helen currently conducts conservation treatments and operates a conservation center in Charleston, WV and St. Paul, MN.

MS010: The Problem with Plastics (short course)
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Helen Alten
Student Login    Price: $99
Feb 3 – Feb 7, 2025   [Learn More]

MS213: Museum Artifacts: How they were made and how they deteriorate
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Helen Alten
Student Login    Price: $99
Mar 3 to Apr 18, 2025  [Learn More]

MS302: Introduction to Grant Writing and Fundraising
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Helen Alten
Student Login    Price: $99
Sept 8- Oct 3, 2025 [Learn More]

Amanda Benson works at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum in Green River, WY and has over 12 years of experience in museum collections management, specializing in disaster preparedness for museums, archives, libraries, and other cultural institutions. Experiencing her first major disaster recovery incident at a museum in 2013 set her on the path for her work in disaster preparedness, where she received her MA in Museology from the University of Washington. Her thesis research specifically looked at employee mental health, museum policies that support them, and how to return to workplace normalcy after a natural disaster. Her research was published in the Wessex Institute of Technology’s Disaster Management publication in 2017 and traveled to Seville, Spain to present her research to other academics around the world specializing in disaster management. Her current work focuses on taking the daunting task of disaster plan writing and making it easy and accessible for all.

MS002: Collection Protection – Are you Prepared? (short course)
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Amanda Benson
Student Login    Price: $99
Not offered in 2025 [Learn More]

MS205/6: Disaster Plan Research and Writing
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Amanda Benson
Student Login    Price: $99
Nov 3 – Dec 12, 2025 [Learn More]

MS253: Disaster Preparation and Recovery
Course Description & Info    Instructor: Amanda Benson
Student Login    Price: $99
Not offered in 2025 [Learn More]

Elizabeth Burton has worked in paintings conservation since 2013 and has conducted environmental analysis and has designed and implemented climate control measures for museums since 2017. Elizabeth studied Art History as an undergraduate at UCLA and received her Master of Arts in Preventive Conservation from Northumbria University. Elizabeth’s graduate dissertation focused on budget-friendly collections care for small museums.

Elizabeth is also the co-founder of Los Angeles-based mental health and arts non-profit 501(c)(3) organization The Perception Project. Elizabeth currently serves on the organization’s board while working for a conservation firm in Los Angeles and for her own business as a paintings and preventive conservator and consultant for private clients, as well as for museums such as the Julian Pioneer Museum, the Pleasant Valley Historical Society Museum, and the La Jolla Map and Atlas Museum. More information about her work can be found at www.eburtoncollectionscare.com.

Ernest A. Conrad‘s greatest contribution to the preservation field was the development of environmental guidelines for engineers who work on museums, libraries and archives. For over 20 years, Mr. Conrad has focused on environmental issues. He is president of Conrad Engineers and Past Founder of Landmark Facilities Group, Inc., an engineering firm specializing in environmental systems for museums, libraries, archives and historic facilities. A licensed mechanical engineer in several states, Mr. Conrad holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s in environmental engineering from Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information visit his web site Landmark Facilities Group, Inc.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE) publishes standards in the areas of HVAC and refrigeration. Mr. Conrad recently co-authored the ASHRAE Applications Handbook “Chapter 20: Museums, Libraries and Archives.” For the first time, there are guidelines specific to our needs in the engineering literature. Mr. Conrad has studied environments and designed special climate control systems throughout the United States for clients as well-known as the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, The Frick Collection, Getty Conservation Institute, The Pierpont Morgan Library, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and National Park Service. He has a special interest in house museums and how climate affects structures and collections housed within those structures.

Ann Coppinger runs the conservation department and teaches conservation at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She has a master’s in museum studies specializing in costume and textile conservation from FIT. She is a former NEA master apprentice at the Textile Conservation Workshop. Ms. Coppinger previously worked for 22 years in fashion in New York City. She has degrees in both fashion design and pattern making from FIT.

Jenna Edwards is the Archivist/Records Manager for the USDA National Wildlife Research Center. After completing an MA in Public History at Wright State University located in Dayton, Ohio, she began working for the National Park Service at cultural and environmental heritage sites including the National Archives for Black Women’s History and the South Florida Collections Management Center (SFCMC) located in Everglades National Park. She then transitioned to the USDA National Wildlife Research Center, which combined her love of archives and environmental history. Her current projects include digitizing archival materials, the preservation and conservation of data and creation of an electronic records management filing scheme.

Erin Gates has been working in the field of interpretation for the last 15 years. Over the last 5 years she has worked on blending interpretive principles and practices into modern suite of digital tools aimed to reach the changing demographic of visitors, and better engage with the K12 education community. Working as a Program Coordinator for an award winning Distance Learning Program and running a social media campaign for that program, Erin routinely consults with interpreters from within her organization and from around the world wishing to expand their interpretive reach using innovative interpretive media tools.

Samantha Hunt-Durán is a museum professional, researcher, and consultant in the cultural heritage sector. Hunt-Durán’s nine years in the field have encompassed training in conservation, collections management, archives processing, collections packing and moving, disaster mitigation, polarized light microscopy pigment identification, technical writing, historic preservation, and federal contracting. She has an MA in Art History (Concentration in Museum Studies) and a BFA in Pre-Art Conservation from the University of Denver. Most recently, she has served as lead consultant and Project Manager for several strategic planning and collection management projects for federal museums.

Hunt-Durán is a Professional Associate of the American Institute for Conservation (AIC), which designates the highest level of professionalism in the field of conservation. She is also a Certified Assessor for the Collections Assessment for Preservation (CAP) program, which audits a museum’s conditions, policies, and procedures related to collections care.

Karin Hostetter has over thirty years experience with museum education. With a career that includes natural history museums, cultural history museums (including first person interpretation), nature centers, and zoos, Ms. Hostetter is experienced in interpretive writing, program and curriculum development, and staff and volunteer training. As a museum educator, she was Curator of Education for the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary (McKinney, TX). Among her award-winning education curricula are several programs she developed for the education departments during her five years at the Heard Museum and her twelve years on staff at the Denver Zoo. As an interpretive writer, Ms. Hostetter has written text for exhibits, wayside exhibits, visitor brochures, and professional magazines. Her skill is in making technical information understandable and meaningful to visitors.

Karin has worked with volunteers throughout her career, becoming the first paid volunteer coordinator at the Denver Zoo. Ms. Hostetter taught the National Association for Interpretation’s two-day volunteer management course for volunteer coordinators and served on their panel about volunteer programs. She authored a series of articles for the National Association for Interpretation’s Legacy magazine, providing guidelines for developing and maintaining a volunteer organization. Ms. Hostetter now consults with organizations on structuring and improving volunteer programs.

Over the years, Ms. Hostetter has been responsible for small animal exhibits and animal care at both the Heard Museum and the Denver Zoo. She worked with wild animal rehabilitation and public education animals, work that included training volunteer animal handlers. Karin co-founded the Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Aquaria special interest section of the National Association for Interpretation.

Karin Hostetter is owner of Interpret This, a consulting company specializing in interpretive writing, program and curriculum development, and volunteer program management. When she is not consulting with other museums, she likes to volunteer and contract teach at them with a special love for preschool and family programs.

Sarah Kapellusch is the Registrar at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison, Wisconsin. She has an MA in Public History and Museum Studies and a BA in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She serves as the Vice President of the Wisconsin Federation of Museums and is a task force member for the American Association for State and Local History’s Nomenclature Committee. Sarah’s experiences include museum collection administration and management, metadata, PastPerfect and database management, Nomenclature 3.0, collection moves and museum start-up projects.

Art Koeninger has been making museum mounts since 2004, when he was contracted by the Pratt Museum, of Homer, Alaska to help re-install its permanent exhibits. The exhibits contractor recommended hiring a jeweler if they wanted to do any local hire. A practicing jeweler and metal worker since studying at Rice University with metal sculptor David Parsons in 1966, Art fit the bill and then some, showing his co-workers a few tricks of his own. That experience evolved into a 13 year tenure with the Pratt Museum as facilities manager and in-house mount maker, assisting with innumerable exhibit installations. He continues contracting for their mounts to the present. He installed the Seldovia, Alaska Village Tribal Museum’s entire multi-panel exhibit remake in 2009. Art has taught mount making workshops at a Museums Alaska Conference in 2009 and a multi-day joint workshop with Museums Alaska and the Seldovia Village Tribe in 2015, and has taken other mount making workshops at Museums Alaska conferences.

Art’s mount-making teaching experience has built on decades of teaching jewelry and small metal fabrication, beginning in 1971. That includes 25 years as an adjunct instructor with Prince William Sound, Alaska Community College, 47 years and counting as a teaching artist with the Alaska Artists-in-Schools and homeschool programs, 26 years with the Homer, Alaska Community Recreation program, and six years with the Anchorage Museum’s Seed Lab. Art is a board member of the Alaska Metal Arts Guild, as well as being a member of Museums Alaska.

Besides his experience creating and teaching metal fabrication and mount making, and his experience with museum exhibit installations, Art has curated and installed exhibits in his own gallery, Spirit Mountain Artworks, in Chitina, Alaska since 1986. The gallery is housed in a false front building from the early 20th century copper mining days, but which was derelict when Art purchased it in 1977. He researched its history, achieved National Historic Registry status for it in 1979, secured two federal matching preservation grants, and completed the renovation well enough to open for business in 1986. Art spends his summers running the shop in Chitina, and the rest of the year in Homer.

Stevan P. Layne is the principal consultant and chief executive of Layne Consultants International, a leading provider of cultural property protection advice. Steve is a former police chief, public safety director and museum security director. He is the author of The Cultural Property Protection Manual, and the Business Survival Guide. Steve regularly presents to professional associations and has consulted with more than 400 museums and other institutions. Steve is the founding director of the International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection and responsible for the professional training and certification of more than 1,000 museum professionals. For more information visit his web site Layne Consultants International

Peggy Schaller, founded Collections Research for Museums in 1991 to provide cataloging, collection-management training and services. She has worked with a large variety of museums and collections for more than 20 years. Peggy, who lives in Denver, Colorado, has a bachelor’s degree in anthropology with minors in art history and geology from the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has a master’s degree in anthropology with a minor in museum studies from the University of Colorado in Boulder and is a Certified Institutional Protection Manager II. She provides workshops and project services to museums and historical societies all across the country. The mission of Collections Research for Museums is to inspire museums to improve their professional standards, collections stewardship and service to their constituency through training in, and assistance with, documenting, preserving, protecting and managing their collections. For more information visit her web site Collections Research for Museums

John Veverka received his B.S. and M.S. degrees majoring in Interpretive Services from The Ohio State University, where he developed and taught an advanced course on Interpretive Master Planning, and spent five summers as an Interpretive Naturalist with Ohio State Parks. After graduating with his M.S. degree, John was recruited by Alberta Provincial Parks in Canada where he helped develop interpretive plans for two World Heritage Sites. In 1981 John returned to Michigan to teach introductory and advanced interpretation courses at Michigan State University, where he was enrolled in the Ph.D. program. John’s current work as a consultant in interpretive planning, training, and heritage tourism, spans 40 years and takes him all over the world to teach interpretation and consult on interpretive projects. He is the author of several interpretive textbooks and is the publisher of InterpNEWS, the International Heritage Interpretation e-Magazine.  You can contact John at jvainterp@aol.com.

Laura Wingate has worked in various roles at the Denver Art Museum since 2016 and is currently the Assistant Collections Manager. She oversees the Gallery Maintenace, Integrated Pest Management, and Environmental Monitoring for 180,000 square feet of gallery space with over 5,000 objects currently on display. She loves integrated pest management because it combines art and science!

While working at the Denver Art Museum, she has had the privilege of working on a large scale collection move of over 50,000 records with the amazing DAM Collections team. She has moved a large variety of objects, and experienced artworks from all over the world while packing the DAM’s encyclopedic art collection. She has also worked on a large grant project through IMLS, bringing new painting screens to the DAM. This gave her the opportunity to work with all sizes and mediums of 2-D works through transit on and off-site, bin and screen storage. As of this writing she has updated the locations of over 30,000 records in the museum’s database, and still learns something new with each art object that crosses her path.

Before working at the Denver Art Museum, she worked at the Lincoln Center Gallery, Museo de las Americas, private galleries throughout Colorado, and galleries within Colorado State University. When she is not being a Collections Manager she is an avid musician, artist, and equestrian!

Molly Winslow currently works as the collections manager for the Arctic, Subarctic, and Plateau collections in the Heritage: Arts and Cultures department at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington. In this role Molly oversees all aspects of daily collections care, cataloging, housing, reorganization, environment, IPM, access, research, and inventory for this collection. Molly is passionate about working with Indigenous communities to ensure appropriate care and access. Prior to this Molly served for four years as the assistant collections manager at the School for Advanced Research (SAR), Indian Arts Research Center (IARC) where she assisted with all aspects of daily collections care, participated in tribal collections reviews, trained interns in collections management skills, and played a vital role in crating, shipping, and installing a large travelling exhibition in addition to many other projects. Molly also previously worked at the Burke Museum on a large scale move project to pack move over 50,000 cultural belongings into the new facility. Molly holds a BA in Sociology from the University of Dayton and an MA in Museology from the University of Washington. She has also worked with the Dayton Society of Natural History, the Seattle Space Needle, Tacoma Museum of Glass, Astilli Fine Art Services, and Seattle Area National Parks.

If you are interested in these courses, please contact Helen Alten at helen@collectioncare.org or Peggy Schaller at peggy@collectioncare.org or order courses at Collectioncare.org.  Students are manually enrolled into courses as they open.