GOLDENDALE, WA.- Maryhill Museum of Art today announced the appointment of Melissa Stabile to collections manager. In this post, which she will assume on February 1, 2010, Ms. Stabile will oversee the storage, care and conservation of Maryhill’s diverse collections.

“Melissa’s range of experience, coupled with her specialized knowledge of ethnographic collections, makes her a great fit for Maryhill,” says Colleen Schafroth, the museum’s executive director. “We are thrilled to have her.”

Ms. Stabile’s background includes collections management, as well as curatorial and educational roles at a number of museums. Most recently, she worked with the Frisco Historic Park and Museum in Frisco, Colorado. Prior to that, she worked at two prominent Pennsylvania-based institutions: the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology in Philadelphia, and the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. Ms. Stabile holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in art history from the University of Colorado, with a concentration in museum studies and Native American history.

“I’m very excited to work at Maryhill. It is a fascinating museum with an amazing collection. There is an awareness of the past and also a strong vision for the future,” says Stabile. “I am looking forward to working with the staff and being part of the team.”

Ms. Stabile adds that the prospect of living in the Gorge made the position even more appealing.

“My husband and I, and our two children, love the outdoors. We enjoy hiking, camping, biking, kayaking and back-country skiing. We can’t wait to explore the area,” she says.


Ms. Stabile replaces Betty Long-Schleif, who retired in January 2010 after 22 years as Maryhill’s collections manager.