Additional Info: Reese is from the small town of Osage, Iowa, and grew up a fan of the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and Tyrannosaurus rex. His interests led him to graduate research at the University of Southern California where he studied Miocene oceans and the thermal physiology of Tyrannosaurus rex. He taught paleontology for 8 years at North Carolina State University before embarking on the journey of working in museums. Reese enjoys the opportunities to bring the stories of the history of life on the planet to a greater audience that comes with running a natural history museum and the opportunities for research and working with students that arise from the museum being apart of Fort Hays State University.
Additional Info: Amy holds a degree in Accounting from Fort Hays State University. She is responsible for the financial record-keeping of the museum, oversees the day-to-day operation of the business office, and coordinates the scheduling of facility rentals. She and her family reside in Hays.
Brad Penka
Title: Manager of Visitor Services
Areas Overseen: Excavations Gift Shop, Admissions Desk, Membership Program
Additional Info: Brad began working as a volunteer for Sternberg Museum in 1998 while attending FHSU and advanced to his current position in March 1999, two weeks before the museum opened. He holds a B.A. in Communications degree with an emphasis in business and public relations. Brad has over 20 years of experience in retail management, museum administration, and community development and serves on the boards of directors of several historical and economic development organizations. He has authored several historical publications and books on regional history and tourism and has recently published a new book on Post Rock Limestone. He currently resides in La Crosse.
Additional Info: Rachel has been apart of the Sternberg staff since 2015. She originally started as a Student Manager working at the front desk. Now she is interning for the Sternberg Museum as their Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Rachel attended Fort Hays State University and graduated in May of 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and two certificates, one in Leadership and the other in Museum Studies.
In Memory of Curtis Schmidt
Title: Zoological Collections Manager (2011-2022)
Areas Overseen: Zoological Collections Department
Additional Info: Curtis became the museum’s first official Zoological Collections Manager in July of 2011. A Hays native and FHSU grad, Curtis received his BS in biological sciences in 1999 and his MS in 2004. Curtis is no stranger to the museum, as he began as a curatorial assistant in Herpetology in 1998, eventually becoming an associate curator of Herpetology and Mammalogy before being appointed Zoological Collections Manager. Because of his involvement in many research projects, Curtis’ contributions to the Herpetology and Mammalogy collections are numerous. As Zoological Collections Manager, his primary responsibilities are Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammalogy, and Ornithology Collections. Curtis also plays an active part in educational programming and exhibits.
Ian Trevethan
Title: Education and Outreach Director
Areas Overseen: Education Outreach, Tours, Programs
Additional Info: Ian earned a Bachelor of Science in earth sciences from Montana State University and a Master of Science in Geosciences from Fort Hays State University. His works consist of isotopic analysis of core body temperature in mosasaurs. He has also participated in research projects regarding individual cranial variation in dinosaurs. He is committed to educating the general public in all facts of paleontological and geological sciences, particularly through museum outreach programs.
Additional Info: Alicia Gaede is from Blue Hill, Nebraska. She grew up with a love for animals which encouraged her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology. While attending Fort Hay State University, Alicia was a volunteer at the Sternberg Museum which eventually turned into a work-study position. In 2019 she accepted her current role of Naturalist. Her duties include caring for the many live animals, facilitating birthday parties, giving guided tours, and hosting children’s programs. She enjoys teaching the public about positive human-animal relationships.
Additional Info: Greg received his B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Iowa. While in graduate school, he also went through the Museum Studies program and served as a curatorial assistant in the university’s herbarium. He moved to Hays in 1989 to take the position of Conservator/Preparator at Sternberg Memorial Museum, then located on FHSU’s main campus. Shortly after arriving, plans were initiated for a major expansion and consolidation of the university museums and Greg spent much of his first decade on staff working on the development of the museum’s present facility. He has served as Exhibits Director since 1998.
Dr. Laura E. Wilson
Title: Chief Curator
Other Title(s): Curator of Paleontology, Curator of Geology
Additional Info: Laura joined the Museum staff in July 2012 as Sternberg’s paleontologist. She received her M.S. from Montana State University (2006) and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder (2012). Her research focuses on reconstructing ecosystems from the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, with a particular interest in using bone histology to study vertebrate paleobiology. As the Curator of Paleontology, Laura is committed to safeguarding fossil specimens and their associated data housed at the Sternberg Museum, as well as utilizing the Museum’s fossil collections for public education and outreach.
Additional Info: Aly Baumgartner is from Hanover, Michigan. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan (2012) where she discovered her love of fossil plants. She then earned her M.S. in Biology from East Tennessee State University (2014) and her Ph.D. in Geosciences from Baylor University (2020). Aly joined the Museum staff in July 2020 as Collections Manager of Paleontology. As Collections Manager of Paleontology, she is responsible for overseeing the paleontology and geology collections as well as the fossil prep lab.
Additional Info: David joined the Museum staff in August 2013 as a museum educator and camp coordinator. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Geology in 2007, and for the last three years (2010 – 2013) he worked as a teaching assistant in the Zoology department at Oklahoma State University where he graduated with a Masters of Science. David worked for The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry outdoor science education camps for four summers. He also worked three summers with the National Park Service at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in southern Idaho. There, he carried out the paleontology field and lab work and worked with kids showing them geology and paleontology. Here, he plans to work with youth as well as adults and hopes to make science apparent in its usefulness in everyday life.
Dr. Reese Barrick
Title: Museum Director
Areas Overseen: the Museum
Phone: 785-628-5664
Email: rebarrick@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Reese is from the small town of Osage, Iowa, and grew up a fan of the Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau and Tyrannosaurus rex. His interests led him to graduate research at the University of Southern California where he studied Miocene oceans and the thermal physiology of Tyrannosaurus rex. He taught paleontology for 8 years at North Carolina State University before embarking on the journey of working in museums. Reese enjoys the opportunities to bring the stories of the history of life on the planet to a greater audience that comes with running a natural history museum and the opportunities for research and working with students that arise from the museum being apart of Fort Hays State University.
Amy Klein
Title: Administrative Specialist
Areas Overseen: Main Office
Phone: 785-628-5516
Email: alklein@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Amy holds a degree in Accounting from Fort Hays State University. She is responsible for the financial record-keeping of the museum, oversees the day-to-day operation of the business office, and coordinates the scheduling of facility rentals. She and her family reside in Hays.
Brad Penka
Title: Manager of Visitor Services
Areas Overseen: Excavations Gift Shop, Admissions Desk, Membership Program
Phone: 785-628-5569
Email: bpenka@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Brad began working as a volunteer for Sternberg Museum in 1998 while attending FHSU and advanced to his current position in March 1999, two weeks before the museum opened. He holds a B.A. in Communications degree with an emphasis in business and public relations. Brad has over 20 years of experience in retail management, museum administration, and community development and serves on the boards of directors of several historical and economic development organizations. He has authored several historical publications and books on regional history and tourism and has recently published a new book on Post Rock Limestone. He currently resides in La Crosse.
Rachel Unruh
Title: Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator
Areas Overseen: Marketing
Phone: 785-628-5298
Email: rgunruh2@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Rachel has been apart of the Sternberg staff since 2015. She originally started as a Student Manager working at the front desk. Now she is interning for the Sternberg Museum as their Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Rachel attended Fort Hays State University and graduated in May of 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and two certificates, one in Leadership and the other in Museum Studies.
In Memory of Curtis Schmidt
Title: Zoological Collections Manager (2011-2022)
Areas Overseen: Zoological Collections Department
Additional Info: Curtis became the museum’s first official Zoological Collections Manager in July of 2011. A Hays native and FHSU grad, Curtis received his BS in biological sciences in 1999 and his MS in 2004. Curtis is no stranger to the museum, as he began as a curatorial assistant in Herpetology in 1998, eventually becoming an associate curator of Herpetology and Mammalogy before being appointed Zoological Collections Manager. Because of his involvement in many research projects, Curtis’ contributions to the Herpetology and Mammalogy collections are numerous. As Zoological Collections Manager, his primary responsibilities are Entomology, Herpetology, Ichthyology, Mammalogy, and Ornithology Collections. Curtis also plays an active part in educational programming and exhibits.
Ian Trevethan
Title: Education and Outreach Director
Areas Overseen: Education Outreach, Tours, Programs
Phone: 785-628-5512
Email: ijtrevethan@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Ian earned a Bachelor of Science in earth sciences from Montana State University and a Master of Science in Geosciences from Fort Hays State University. His works consist of isotopic analysis of core body temperature in mosasaurs. He has also participated in research projects regarding individual cranial variation in dinosaurs. He is committed to educating the general public in all facts of paleontological and geological sciences, particularly through museum outreach programs.
Alicia Gaede
Title: Naturalist
Areas Overseen: Discovery Room and Animal Care
Phone: 785-628-5517
Email: algaede@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Alicia Gaede is from Blue Hill, Nebraska. She grew up with a love for animals which encouraged her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Wildlife Biology. While attending Fort Hay State University, Alicia was a volunteer at the Sternberg Museum which eventually turned into a work-study position. In 2019 she accepted her current role of Naturalist. Her duties include caring for the many live animals, facilitating birthday parties, giving guided tours, and hosting children’s programs. She enjoys teaching the public about positive human-animal relationships.
Gregory Walters
Title: Exhibits Director
Areas Overseen: Exhibit Galleries
Phone: 785-628-4289
Email: gwalters@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Greg received his B.S. and M.S. in Geology from the University of Iowa. While in graduate school, he also went through the Museum Studies program and served as a curatorial assistant in the university’s herbarium. He moved to Hays in 1989 to take the position of Conservator/Preparator at Sternberg Memorial Museum, then located on FHSU’s main campus. Shortly after arriving, plans were initiated for a major expansion and consolidation of the university museums and Greg spent much of his first decade on staff working on the development of the museum’s present facility. He has served as Exhibits Director since 1998.
Dr. Laura E. Wilson
Title: Chief Curator
Other Title(s): Curator of Paleontology, Curator of Geology
Areas Overseen: Collections Department
Phone: 785-628-4963
Email: lewilson6@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Laura joined the Museum staff in July 2012 as Sternberg’s paleontologist. She received her M.S. from Montana State University (2006) and her Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder (2012). Her research focuses on reconstructing ecosystems from the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway, with a particular interest in using bone histology to study vertebrate paleobiology. As the Curator of Paleontology, Laura is committed to safeguarding fossil specimens and their associated data housed at the Sternberg Museum, as well as utilizing the Museum’s fossil collections for public education and outreach.
Link to Dr. Wilson's FHSU Faculty Page
Link to Dr. Wilson's Research Website
Dr. Aly Baumgartner
Title: Collections Manager of Paleontology
Areas Overseen: Paleontology Collections Department
Phone: 785-628-5531
Email: kabaumgartner@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: Aly Baumgartner is from Hanover, Michigan. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Michigan (2012) where she discovered her love of fossil plants. She then earned her M.S. in Biology from East Tennessee State University (2014) and her Ph.D. in Geosciences from Baylor University (2020). Aly joined the Museum staff in July 2020 as Collections Manager of Paleontology. As Collections Manager of Paleontology, she is responsible for overseeing the paleontology and geology collections as well as the fossil prep lab.
David Levering
Title: Camp Director
Areas Overseen: Summers Camps, Outbound Programs
Phone: 785-628-5502
Email: dalevering@fhsu.edu
Additional Info: David joined the Museum staff in August 2013 as a museum educator and camp coordinator. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Geology in 2007, and for the last three years (2010 – 2013) he worked as a teaching assistant in the Zoology department at Oklahoma State University where he graduated with a Masters of Science. David worked for The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry outdoor science education camps for four summers. He also worked three summers with the National Park Service at Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument in southern Idaho. There, he carried out the paleontology field and lab work and worked with kids showing them geology and paleontology. Here, he plans to work with youth as well as adults and hopes to make science apparent in its usefulness in everyday life.