Kathy Dickson Email & Phone Number

The Oklahoma Historical Society’s Museums and Historic Sites Division encompasses the management of 31 historic sites, historic homes, and museums in all corners of Oklahoma. I began working at the OHS in 1979, serving as a curator in the State Museum of History, then Director of Central Services, and Director of Museums before becoming Director of Museums and Historic Sites in 2004. In my career I have had the opportunity to serve as president of the statewide Oklahoma Museums Association (OMA) in 1988-1990 as well as president of the Mountain-Plains Museums Association, a ten state regional organization of museum professionals in 1995-1997. What I find most rewarding about my job is the opportunity to work with so many different communities across the state. It is great to have a job that takes you from Guymon to Hugo and Bartlesville to Altus and many places in between. Although we have many properties the OHS is really a small agency so even as a Division Director I still get to experience all aspects of a project. This means one day I might be working on long range plans, writing a grant proposal or working on an interpretative plan and the next day I might be painting walls or making faux food or mannequins for an exhibit. I have never had a boring day.Specialties: Purchasing/contracting; personnel management; exhibit development, planning/administration