MSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chacho Herman, PRESIDENT
Chacho Herman, Director of Earned Income, San Diego Museum of Art
Having started at SDMA in 1986 as a part-time, temporary employee, Chacho Herman now oversees the Museum’s admissions, ticketing, and restaurant services. In addition to serving on MSA’s Board of Directors, Chacho serves on the board of Balboa Park Online Collaborative, a nonprofit dedicated to providing guidance and recommendations to museums, cultural organizations, and other nonprofits, enabling them to make informed economic and sustainable decisions regarding technology, digital, and strategic initiatives.
He loves to create, paint, read, root for his Padres on to victory (often times unsuccessfully), get lost in Baja, visit museums across the globe, go to concerts of all types, support friends and family, and spend time with his wonderful wife and their dog, “BB”.
Colleen Higginbotham, Immediate Past PRESIDENT
Colleen Higginbotham, Deputy Director of Visitor Experience, Chrysler Museum of Art
Colleen Higginbotham has more than 20 years of experience in customer service management and currently oversees the visitor experience at the Chrysler Museum by supervising and training frontline staff. After attending her first MSA conference as a museum professional seeking to better understand nonprofit retail, Colleen felt welcomed with open arms. Within the first day, she knew she had found something special. From an early age, Colleen was shown the importance of giving back. With parents who were business owners together, Colleen saw them both serve as leaders of their professional association. As an attendee to the conferences from a young age, Colleen was exposed to professional networking firsthand, and even in retirement, her parents remain involved as mentors to others.
Julia Jordan, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
Julia Jordan, Retail Experience Manager, Edelman Fossil Park & Museum
Julia Jordan’s degree in history and years of retail experience (including doing inventory of her Halloween candy as a child) made operating a museum store a natural fit, and she has worked in non-profit retail for over ten years. She has been a member of MSA for over a decade and has been involved in Chapter leadership, committee work, and the National Board. She is committed to advocating for museums with a niche focus and the value their stories bring to the museum store world.
Outside of work, Julia enjoys reading, board games, traveling, being outside, seeing live music, a love of all-things Philadelphia (our sports teams included), and dreaming of one day adopting all of the senior dogs.
Stephanie Smith-Gragg, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
Stephanie Smith-Gragg, Museum Store Sales Manager, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
Stephanie has over 20 years of experience in the retail field, having worked in various roles. Stephanie has also volunteered on several committees within MSA, including serving as the Midwest Chapter President. Throughout her career, Stephanie has felt that her success and growth have been a result of the great support and guidance from fellow MSA members. She is dedicated to promoting DEAI (Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion) initiatives and creating a supportive environment for all museum store professionals. Outside of work, Stephanie enjoys gardening, needlepoint, and reearching African American culinary history and traditions.
sophie cosper, TREASURER
Sophie Cosper, Shop Manager, Birmingham Museum of Art
Sophie attributes her success as Shop Manager and Buyer at the Birmingham Museum of Art to the network of professionals at MSA along with the education and resources it provides. Her institution has a long history of involvement in MSA and she firmly believes the development and continued growth of the MSA are vital to strengthening and protecting nonprofit retail.
As Membership committee chair, it has been Sophie’s mission to both grow the ranks of the MSA and increase member retention through awareness, engagement and value to its members. As an active member in the South Atlantic Chapter where she has served as President and as a national board member, Sophie would like to help strengthen Chapters by making it easier for members to engage at both the national and chapter level.
Andrea Pollock, SECRETARY
Andrea Pollock, Public Engagement Manager, Independence Seaport Museum
Andrea Pollock is a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, PA who has worked in a variety of museums around the city beginning in 2007. Since 2021 she been the Public Engagement Manager at Independence Seaport Museum where she oversees visitor services and retail operations.
She has been a member of Museum Store Association since 2015 and considers MSA to be a foundational contributor to her professional journey. She previously served as a chapter officer for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter for 5 years and has served on the DEAI Committee since 2024, as well as on Conference Committees for MSA Forward in Baltimore (2024) and Philadelphia (2026), the latter of which she co-chaired.
Dan Ayers-Price, DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Dan Ayers-Price, Director of Retail for the Key West Art & Historical Society
Thirteen years ago, Dan Ayers-Price, new to the world of nonprofit retail, quickly realized it was very different from regular retail. He needed help, and by sheer coincidence, the organization’s Executive Director received an email from someone at the Museum Store Association. Knowing that he was trying to remodel four stores and make them viable, the executive director encouraged Dan to research and join MSA.
Since joining, Dan has attended each national conference and each Chapter meeting. Dan has served as Secretary, VP, and President of the Florida Chapter. After serving as President, he became Chapter Treasurer, a position he still holds. He also currently serves on the MSA/FLA Scholarship Committee, Leadership Committee, and acts as the moderator for monthly Chapter Treasurers roundtable meeting.
Kelli Davis, DIRECTOR AT LARGE
 Kelli Davis, Manager of Retail and Visitor Services, Agua Caliente Cultural Museum
Miriam Robbins, DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Miriam Robbins, Visitor Experience Manager, Lowell Observatory
Since 2018, Miriam has served as Visitor Experience Manager at Lowell Observatory, where she has been responsible for developing the right product mix, staffing models, and pricing strategy for the retail operations. Miriam’s career spans more than 30 years in business and marketing across both corporate and nonprofit sectors, with a focus on creating meaningful, mission-driven guest experiences.
As Director at Large, Miriam’s business background and collaborative spirit are the perfect mix for MSA to continue growing its membership, strengthening its chapters, and expanding resources for both newcomers and seasoned professionals.
Miriam is eager to help shape a strategic vision that bolsters MSA’s regional presence while fostering synergy at the national and international levels.
beth shafer, DIRECTOR AT LARGE
Beth Shafer, Retail Operations Manager, The Museum of Flight
With over a decade of experience at The Museum of Flight, Beth has had the privilege of shaping the museum’s retail and visitor experience. For seven years, she served as the Retail Operations Manager, training staff to understand the vital connection between products, mission, collection, and the overall visitor journey. Over the last three years, as Manager of Retail and Admissions, she extended her focus to creating a comprehensive Visitor Experience Team, one that prioritizes a sense of belonging and ensures all front-facing staff play an integral role in welcoming and educating visitors.
Beth has been an engaged member of the Museum Store Association (MSA) for 10 years. From attending her first chapter meeting and realizing how much she had to offer others about her retail experience, to serving on the Pacific Northwest MSA (PNWMSA) Board since 2019, she values fostering a sense of community within MSA. In recent years, Beth has been involved in planning PNW events that emphasize inclusivity, welcoming new members, and institutions into the chapter.
Tina Rohatsch, VENDOR MEMBER ADVISOR
Tina Rohatsch, Founder/CEO, ART IS
Steve Santangelo, VENDOR MEMBER ADVISOR
Steve Santangelo, Sales Director, Popcorn Custom Products and Museum Nerd
Steve Santangelo was born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut. He joined the Popcorn team in the fall of 2014 and played a key role in launching the Museum Nerd brand during the 2020 COVID shutdown.
With over fifteen years of sales experience and a decade at Popcorn, Steve has overseen thousands of custom projects for the museum store marketplace, always striving for excellence in every program he helps create for cultural institutions. A passionate advocate for The Museum Store Association (MSA), his first year at Popcorn also marked his first MSA event—fittingly held in Hartford, CT—where he had a defining moment, thinking, “I have found my people.”
Committed to strengthening the MSA community, Steve helped establish MSA NEXT in 2016, has served on multiple planning committees, and now proudly co-chairs the MSA Conference Committee in addition to his role on the MSA Board of Directors.
ELIZABETH PRICE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Price, MBA, CAE, has been working in association management since 2000, and has spent over 20 years in Executive Management. She earned an MBA in Marketing from the University of New Mexico (UNM – Go LOBOS!) after completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with a focus on photography and ceramics. She completed her Association Executive Certificate (CAE) in 2011.Â
In 2020, the Museum Store Association retained Elizabeth as their Executive Director where she quickly became versed in the world of nonprofit retail management. She has guided the association through its pandemic recovery, increasing their annual gross revenue over 75% and increasing membership 22%. She recently received the 2022 MSA Service Award recognizing these efforts. She has spoken both in the US and abroad on various nonprofit subjects, and is quoted for her innovative use of assets in the bestselling book Road to Relevance: 5 Strategies for Competitive Associations.
She has worked with associations from the ground up, building programs, developing leadership, reorganizing and managing the office and staff, and increasing and rejuvenating membership.
Serve on our Board of Directors!
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2023-2026 APPLIED STRATEGIC PLAN
Prepared by Leading Associations Jeff Arnold, MAM, CAE Robert D. Spangler, MPA, CSC
Based on board interviews and survey responses, clear themes emerged regarding the future direction of the organization. These themes led to the establishment of Key Strategic Focus Areas.