The Board of Directors of the Palmer Museum
President, Anne Lane came to Alaska with her husband Robert courtesy of the U.S. Air Force in 1985. She has most recently worked as a realtor with Jack White Prudential and Dynamic Properties in Anchorage. She has held many volunteer positions in Officers' Wives' Clubs, curch groups and hospital volunteer groups, and is currently the Vice President of the Snow Goose Pond Home Owners' Association.
Vice President, Wayne Bouwens was a member of the Palmer Museum start up board. After a three year hiatus he was re-elected and has served on the board for the past two years. Wayne has lived in Palmer since arriving in 1935 as part of the Matanuska Colony Project. He is also a Board Member of the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation, a non-profit bank that administrates farm lending and agricultural land trusts.
Treasurer/Secretary, Tom Healy has served on the board for two years, and is also the Chair of the Collections Committee. Tom retired from a career in municipal management in September of 2007, prior to which he served as Palmer's city manager for eight years. He now works as Executive Director for the Alaska Rock Products Association.
Romie Deschamps III has been a Palmer resident since 1977and has raised six children here along with his wife, Patricia. A semi-retired Valley pharmacist after 34 years of service, he received the "Bowl of Hygeia" award in 2011 for Community Service and Contributions for Pharmacy Service. Romie has served as charter member, Club President and board member of the Palmer Rotary Club for several years as well as serving President of the MatSu Chapter American Cancer Society for two years, Board Member of the State Cancer Society, and Team Pharmacist for AK1DMAT. He enjoys being injvolved with the arts community, serving as President of the Valley Fine Arts Association, and a member of the Alaska Plein Air Artist Society and the Alaska Artist Guild all while still finding time to develop his own art.
Jo Ehmann has lived in Palmer for over 45 years, and currently works full time as a substitute teacher at Colony High School. Her previous professional positions include Alaska Court System translator and executive secretary to the CEO of Exxon. She has served on the board for four years.
Jim Chesbro has served on the board for four years. Jim retired from the Municipality of Anchorage, where he worked as a project manager for the public works department. Jim is an active volunteer for the Alaska Democratic Party, and he has served on several Alaska Boards including the State Parks Advisory, Fish and Game Board, Animal Care and Regulation Board, Friends of Mat-Su and Daybreak Adult Housing.
Tom Sojka
Executive Director, Melissa Jenski is a recent import to the town of Palmer by way of Cambridge, Massachusetts thanks to her Palmer raised husband. With a varied background in architecture and retail management and an artist herself, she came into the position of Executive Director with new ideas and a willingness to learn.
