A Commitment to The Huntington's Mission

Board of Governors members share their time, talent, and treasure.

The Clear and Transcendent pavilion (Qing Yue Tai 清越臺) in The Chinese Garden. Photo by Linnea Stephan. The Huntington, San Marino, California. — The Clear and Transcendent pavilion (Qing Yue Tai 清越臺) in The Chinese Garden. Photo by Linnea Stephan. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.

Volunteer Leaders Share Their Stories and Visions for the Future

Volunteer leaders play a vital role in making The Huntington such a cultural treasure. The 60-plus members of The Huntington’s Board of Governors support the seven-member Board of Trustees in guiding the institution. Together, they help expand the collections; sustain operations and staff; and strengthen research, education, and programming.

Eight members of the Board of Governors recently shared what The Huntington means to them and discussed the ways it continues to thrive in the 21st century. Their reflections highlight the diversity, vitality, and public impact of this unique institution.

“We have so many different kinds of people—from entertainment and financial professionals to physicians, lawyers, and scholars of American history,” said Board of Governors Chair Nancy Berman, president and executive director of the Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation. “What unites them is their commitment to bolstering The Huntington’s mission.”

Nancy Berman, Susan Shapiro, and Brenda Levin. Photo by Jamie Pham. The Huntington, San Marino, California.

First Impressions That Last

For Akila Gibbs, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center, initial uncertainty about The Huntington’s inclusivity kept her away. That changed when she visited. “I had friends who loved the gardens, but no one talked about the full richness of the place,” she said. “Now, I feel a sense of ownership. I’m proud of what The Huntington gives back and the care it puts into preserving art, literature, and rare plant specimens.”

Architect Brenda Levin remembered being “absolutely taken” by the gardens and galleries after moving from Massachusetts. Years later, she was invited to renovate the MaryLou and George Boone Gallery.

Philanthropist Peter Taylor first visited as a young father looking for a peaceful family outing. When he was invited to join the Board of Governors, he quickly accepted. “I love how The Huntington doesn’t just preserve art and archives—it shares knowledge with the public,” he said. “You see something new every time.”

Susan Shapiro, a philanthropist and retired lawyer, discovered The Huntington after moving to the area from Boston. “When our children went to California, we weren’t going to let them get away,” she joked. In 2019, she and her late husband, L. Dennis Shapiro, established The Shapiro Center for American History and Culture at The Huntington.

For others, their first visit to The Huntington was a formative experience.

Entertainment executive David Stone recalled sketching The Blue Boy as a child growing up in Pasadena—an early encounter that seeded his dedication to arts enrichment programs. Dermatologist and artificial intelligence researcher Ivy Lee also visited as a student. Now, she chaperones her own children’s school trips.

Natalia Molina, a distinguished professor at USC, began her journey with The Huntington as a graduate student. “I treated it like a job,” she said of the hours she spent writing her dissertation in the Library. “That routine made it feel like a scholarly home.” Molina later served as The Huntington’s interim director of research.

A Commitment to The Huntington's Mission

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Volunteer Leaders Share Their Stories and Visions for the Future

First Impressions That Last

Teamwork at the Core

A Place Like No Other

Ready to Respond

Looking Ahead

A Legacy for All

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