Sonoma Valley Historical Society hires development director

The Sonoma Valley Historical Society recently hired Tom Moritz as interim director of strategic planning and development.

He will further the society’s mission of collecting, preserving and disseminating the historical heritage of the valley through review and management of collections; information technology; education and outreach; and fundraising.

“We are very lucky to have Tom working with us. He has an enormous amount of experience in knowledge management, strategic planning and data development,” said Depot Park Museum Director Sandi Hansen. “He is a welcome addition to the historical society and the museum.”

Moritz will work closely with Hansen, board members, docents and volunteers and in cooperation with other Sonoma heritage organizations. He served for 13 years as academy librarian for the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. He also worked for the American Museum of Natural History in New York and the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. He initiated archival programs in San Francisco and New York and was principal investigator on major grants with particular focus on digitization of collections. He was co-editor of the Sierra Club Wetlands Reader and is the author of numerous articles and presentations.

The Depot Park Museum, 270 First St. W., is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday. It features the train history of Sonoma Valley and numerous exhibits about local history. For more information, call 938-1762.”