Door County Historical Society Welcomes New Employees

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (April 19, 2023) – The Door County Historical Society announced the addition of two new employees to the staff. Michaela Kraft and Wendy Wagner both joined the organization in April of this year.

Michaela Kraft will fill the new full-time, permanent role of Curator and Interpretations Manager. She will be responsible for the care, management, and interpretation of the Door County Historical Society’s varied collections and historic structures. Key components of her position include ongoing research and development of interpretation (programs, plays, curriculum, etc.), collections care and management, docent management, and community engagement.

Michaela, who grew up in Brussels, holds a bachelor’s degree in Theater from UW Stevens Point and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from the University of Washington-Seattle. Michaela is not new to the Door County Historical Society: while in high school and college, she often volunteered at both the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and Heritage Village.

Wendy Wagner is the new Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Site Manager for the Door County Historical Society. In this full-time, seasonal position, Wendy will provide onsite coordination of general museum operations, visitor activity, and museum store sales at the historic Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. She will oversee staff and volunteers and ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for visitors.

Wendy holds a bachelor’s degree in Resource Management from UW Stevens Point and previously worked as State Park Naturalist at Potawatomi State Park, Point Beach State Park, Navarino State Wildlife Area, and Havenwoods State Forest. Wendy’s experience at various positions provides her with a rich skill set in volunteer coordination, interpretive planning, and presentation, along with strong organizational methods.

“We are delighted to welcome both Michaela and Wendy to our growing team,” said Amy Frank, Executive Director at the Door County Historical Society. “Their skills and experience align perfectly with our organization’s goals and we look forward to their contributions in helping us further our mission to collect, maintain, and share the history and heritage of Door County.”

The Door County Historical Society is also hiring up to 10 people as tour guides and gift shop workers at Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. Positions are part-time with flexible hours. More information is available on the DCHS website, doorcountyhistoricalsociety.org.

Founded in 1926, the Door County Historical Society strives to collect, maintain, and share the history and heritage of Door County through preservation, education and programming. The Society operates two interpretive sites: Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in Peninsula State Park and the Heritage Village at Big Creek in Sturgeon Bay, in addition to offering educational programs throughout the county year round.