

Meet The Team

Louise A. Palermo
Executive Director
L.palermo@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 10
Louise, or Lou, Palermo has many years of experience as a museum educator, programmer, and building community partnerships. She finds the Columbia River Gorge to be one of the most beautiful places on earth with the most interesting history. She welcomes your visit or email as she works with the community to reimagine this institution.

Jessica Chamberlin
Visitor Services Manager
J.chamberlin@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 13
Jessica Chamberlin is a long-time resident of Stevenson. As the Manager of Visitor Services, she makes sure our Members are well cared for and that visitors have the best experiences while at the Museum.
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James Cain
Facilities Manager
509-427-8211 EX 18
Jim Cain is our all-around facilities specialist who keeps the museum in top shape.
He is integral in our updates and changes, making sure our Museum is a great experience for everyone.​

Morganne Pockels
Collections Manager
M.pockels@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 17
Morganne Pockels joined our team to update our collections management areas and create a database allowing us to track donors and objects. Without a collections manager to keep our collections safe, many of our objects would never be on view!

Mali Drexelius
Store Manager
m.drexelius@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 19
Mali Drexelius oversees the daily operations of the gift shop, ensuring a smooth customer experience while managing inventory, sales, and more. She also coordinates with museum departments to align merchandise with current exhibitions and enhance the educational mission of the institution.​​​

Kim Chestnut
Front Desk
k.chestnut@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 13
A passionate local, Kim is committed to providing value back to her community and representing the Columbia Gorge Museum in a positive light. She is ready to greet you and share the stories stored in our collections!

John Welborn
Administrative Manager
j.welborn@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 11
John has a decade of experience in marketing, management, business development, and leadership from both personal businesses he's built and in working closely with other major online companies allowing him to contribute immensely to the management, growth, and overall success of the Museum.

Jennifer Polzel
Museum Finance
J.Polzel@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 12
Jen is a local bookkeeper who loves this museum. She’s a Navy veteran and the Mom of five fabulous kids. ​​​​

Tanner Richards
Front Desk
t.richards@columbiagorge.org
509-427-8211 EX 13
Tanner is excited to join the Columbia Gorge Museum, bringing a creative eye and passion for storytelling. Tanner loves photography, discovering new artists, and exploring history through art. Outside of work, Tanner enjoys writing short stories and experiencing films on the big screen.