A Commitment to The Huntington's Mission

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.”

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.

Teamwork at the Core

All the Board of Governors members emphasized their deep admiration for the institution’s leadership and staff.

Gibbs credited the staff’s professionalism and passion as “the reason it all works.”

Shapiro agreed. “They’re incredibly dedicated,” she said. “President Karen Lawrence has created a culture where we’re always asking how we can do better.”

Stone praised Lawrence and the staff for their efforts to increase access and deepen community engagement. “They’ve made a focused effort to ensure The Huntington is open—now and for generations to come.”

Berman added, “Karen is a leader who knows how to lead other leaders. She brings such clarity to planning and collaboration that she could write a textbook on the subject.”

A Place Like No Other

Many Governors noted the distinctive breadth of The Huntington’s offerings.

“There’s something for everyone,” Lee said. “The art, library, and garden collections let people engage on their own terms. You can choose your own adventure.”

Levin added, “You don’t get that trifecta anywhere else.”

Molina described The Huntington as a “lifelong learning space,” where even frequent visitors discover something new.

Gibbs noted how it bridges generations: “Elders volunteer here. Toddlers explore. Families make memories.”

The Huntington inspires creativity that crosses collection boundaries. Molina highlighted the work of such artists as Sandy Rodriguez, who makes paints from garden plants, and Betye Saar, who included natural materials gathered from the gardens in her immersive installation Drifting Toward Twilight. “Art and the gardens inform and amplify one another,” Molina said.

Shapiro spoke to the complexity behind it all: “No one else has an art museum, a research library, and botanical gardens of this scale.”

Ready to Respond

In the aftermath of the Eaton Fire, The Huntington quickly responded to those in need by providing a new home for rescued koi fish and safeguarding Torah scrolls that were salvaged from the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center. “The Huntington is going to hold the Torahs and preserve them until they can go back home,” Berman said.

“I’m so proud of how quickly The Huntington rallied in the wake of the wildfires,” Molina said. “A fund was created for staff affected by the fires, and the Neighbors in Need initiative offered free admission to impacted community members.”

The Huntington “takes its responsibilities seriously,” Shapiro noted. “There were already teams in place—trained and prepared.”

Looking Ahead

Board of Governors members are energized by the future. Levin pointed to the strategic and campus master plans as examples of forward-thinking growth. “So much of The Huntington is about context—how the past informs the present and future.”

Gibbs, Lee, and Molina all underscored the institution’s deepening commitment to inclusion. “They’re not just talking about diversity—they’re living it,” Gibbs said.

Lee emphasized a values-based approach: “It’s not just about demographics. It’s about how we use what The Huntington offers to change the way people engage with the world.”

The institution’s expanding archives and initiatives reflect that commitment. From the acclaimed Octavia E. Butler archive to its role in the Getty-led PST ART: Art & Science Collide, The Huntington continues to center diverse voices.

When discussing the construction of the Library/Art Building, Taylor is especially excited by the potential for cross-disciplinary connections and improved public access. “You can’t display every rare book, but The Huntington is committed to sharing what’s inside,” he said. “There will be more display spaces, safer collection storage, and broader access for the public and scholars alike.”

A Legacy for All

As The Huntington grows, so does its reach. “We’ve nearly hit peak attendance,” Stone said. “But access isn’t just about numbers—it’s about who feels welcome.”

For Shapiro, the future of the institution is personal: “My twin grandkids are 5, and they’re already saying, ‘This is so beautiful!’ That’s the kind of connection—and legacy—you want.”

From walking clubs for seniors to innovative programs for students, The Huntington remains a space for learning, connection, and inspiration.

“One day, when I’m gone, my grandchildren can come and say, ‘My grandmother was a part of this,’” Gibbs said. “That makes me feel very special.”

As these Board members show, The Huntington’s story is still being written—with bold vision, collaborative leadership, and a welcoming spirit.

“I think Henry and Arabella Huntington would be proud and delighted,” Berman said.