With today being Administrative Professionals Day, it felt like the perfect time to shine a light on the work of three members of our administrative team, Elaina Johann, Tina Meverden, and Emma Whitman, and the work they do to keep things running smoothly—often without fanfare, but never without impact. I had them answer some questions about their day-to-day, the community moments that have stuck with them, and what they love most about being part of the Woodson Art Museum family.
Tina Meverden – Office Assistant
What part of your work do you take the most pride in?
“I take great pride in the friendly customer service I provide as a Visitor Services team member. I truly value the people I engage with daily, whether in person or on the phone. My goal is to treat each guest with the utmost respect and kindness. I want them to be seen, heard, and appreciated. I want each visitor to leave the Museum feeling good about two things: 1) their experience with the art and 2) the interaction they had with Museum staff.”
What do you love most about being part of the Woodson Art Museum?
“Life has taken me in numerous direction career-wise. In addition to being on staff at the Museum, I have taught at the elementary level, worked as a librarian, and served in the municipal government. Although all these paths were fun and engaging, only at the Woodson Art Museum have I been privileged to be surrounded by both beautiful people and beautiful works of art. Museum volunteers are an invested and generous group, Museum visitors come grateful and happy, and Museum staff are the most capable and friendly. The caliber of artwork at the Woodson matches the caliber of people associated with the Woodson. Beautiful souls + stunning art = an ideal place to work.”
Emma Whitman – Visitor Services
What’s one moment or experience at the Museum that has really stuck with you or made you smile?
“A moment that has been very special for me was part of my search for artists to send the Birds in Art prospectus to. Corinne Geertsen, one of the many artists I found and contacted last year, was juried into the 2024 Birds in Art exhibition. It was nice to see her work in person and to see the work I did paid off in some way.”
What do you love most about being part of the Woodson Art Museum?
“I don’t want to sound cliché, but there are truly so many aspects about being here that are wonderful. Seeing community and art come together, working with some of the kindest volunteers out there, being surrounded by art…what more can anyone ask for?”
Elaina Johann – Administrative Manager
What does a typical day look like for you at the Museum, and what part of your work do you take the most pride in?
“A typical day can look very different for me depending on the time of year. I always have my weekly and daily tasks involving two computer monitors, multiple tabs open on my browser, plenty of finder windows, word documents and spreadsheets, a database or two, and always the phone by my side. It is nice to have this routine coupled with the out-of-the-blue challenges and excitement that come at us. For instance, we received a flood of applications in the last week before the Birds in Art deadline. Half of the 703 artists submissions were in the last 72 hours, with many crunch-time questions for Tina, Emma, Holly, and me both by phone and email. We are always happy to help artists through the process.”
What do you love most about being part of the Woodson Art Museum?
“I love being a part of an institution where people care so much, from the staff to members to docents and volunteers and even new members. I enjoy being the person that diligently keeps records for memberships at the Museum. There is a lot of care and thought that goes into every process from asking and receiving, to acknowledging and putting on events. It means a lot that we have the support of our community members, and we want to show them back how deeply their support impacts what we do at the Museum.”
Although the work they do is often behind-the-scenes, folks like Tina, Emma, and Elaina make all the educational programming that occurs in the Museum possible. From helping get registration forms set up each exhibition cycle, answering countless questions, and being in-person support during and after program days, I wouldn’t be able to execute programming without their help. The next time you see them around in the Museum or behind the visitor services desk, remember to share a smile (or story), and thank them for all they do. We wouldn’t be able to do it without them.
