Catherine A. Taylor, Chief AHM Division

 
Catherine Taylor is the Division Chief for the Archaeology, History and Museums Division for California State Parks.  In this capacity, she oversees several statewide programs, including cultural resource management, stewardship, museums and museum collections.  She also serves as the Department’s Preservation Officer.

Most recently, she served as the District Superintendent for the Capital District of California State Parks from 2005 to 2012.  The Capital District comprises nine State Historic Parks and State Museums.  In this capacity, Ms. Taylor managed a total budget of $9 million, 200 full and part time employees, and 750 volunteers.  She served as the liaison to 6 nonprofit support organizations within the District which raise and manage funds to support individual park units.  She worked to build new nonprofit partnerships which have resulted in major fund development for park units in the Capital District. Ms. Taylor served as project manager for two major State Parks projects: the California Indian Heritage Center and the Railroad Technology Museum.

In addition, Cathy served as Museum Director for the California State Railroad Museum for seven years, and was the Executive Director of the California State Railroad Museum Foundation (a cooperating association) for over a decade.  Her accomplishments at the Foundation include building the organization from a fledgling nonprofit to a budget of $2.5 million, managing two Railfairs – one in 1991 and another in 1999, each of which attracted nearly 200,000 visitors and raised major funds for the Museum, and overseeing the development of the Museum Store and Membership programs for the Museum.  During the 1980s, she served as Director of Political Action and Member Services for the California Association of Health Facilities, and was a registered lobbyist.

Cathy is a graduate of California State University Sacramento with a BA in History, and is a 1998 graduate of the Museum Management Institute at UC Berkeley sponsored by the Getty Leadership Institute. She was most recently honored by the California Preservation Foundation with their 2012 President’s Award for outstanding achievement in historic preservation, and by Resolution of the Sacramento City Council for her major achievements to promote historic preservation and build tourism in the City over the past 22 years.

She lives in East Sacramento with her partner Carl, 16 year old nephew James, and her dog Max.