Our Board

Gull Wings Children’s Museum is currently expanding and reorganizing its leadership base to better reflect the diverse community we serve, to provide stability for the long term growth and success of our organization, and to implement a new strategic plan. Please contact Melissa Baffa if you are interested in learning more about a leadership opportunity within our organization.

Our Executive Director

Gull Wings Children’s Museum is served by Executive Director Melissa Baffa. A former science teacher and researcher, Melissa understands the importance of providing informal education opportunities to the widest audience possible. Hired in 2008, she has led the way to create a clear vision for the Museum and a path to get there in cooperation with local civic, educational, non-profit, and business leaders. Melissa Baffa can be reached via email: director (at) gullwings (dot) org

Our Board of Directors

Our growing Board of Directors is currently comprised of four people, representing some of the diversity of the Ventura County community.

Officers:

President: Vince Behrens–Vince is a business owner and member of Downtown Oxnard Management Association board of directors. Email vince (at) gullwings (dot) org

Vice-President: Carol Flores Beck– Carol is an elementary school principal at Oxnard School District. Email carol (at) gullwings (dot) org

Secretary: Maria Ballesteros-Sola– Maria is a Fulbright Scholar with a law (JD) degree from ICADE in Spain and an MBA from Boston University, both of which were earned with high academic honor. Maria has worked as a consultant for and to Fortune 500 companies along with extensive pioneering work in the European online banking system. Maria is currently teaching marketing and management classes at Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics at Cal State University Channel Islands, running The Spanish Center LA which she founded, doing consulting work with entrepreneurial start-ups, and being a Mom to her two young boys. Email maria (at) gullwings (dot) org

Treasurer:  Sharri Vanbuskirk–Sharri is an Assistant Vice President of Santa Barbara Bank and Trust and currently the Assistant Manager of the Port Hueneme Office.  She has been in banking for over 30 years.  Born and raised in Ventura County, she was first introduced to the Gull Wings Museum in 1993 while chaperoning one of her three children’s field trips. Email sharri (at) gullwings (dot) org

Our Advisory Board

We have a fun and diverse Advisory Board; it is comprised of partners, stakeholders, partner organizations, and at-large community members to ensure the broadest community representation possible. We hold monthly meetings on the third Thursday of the month.  For more information, please contact our director (email address listed in her bio above).

Interested in Joining Us?

If you are interested in learning more, please contact Melissa Baffa, Executive Director for more details. We can put you in touch with members of our Governance Committee to discuss the next steps.