Elizabeth C. Babcock, PhD
President & CEOBuilding a Shared, Inclusive Vision for the Park.
Working together, we can sustain, envision and enhance the wonders of Balboa Park for all visitors.
Important update to Forever Balboa Park’s leadership
Elizabeth C. Babcock, Ph.D., is the President & CEO of Forever Balboa Park, the City of San Diego’s nonprofit partner in sustaining and enhancing Balboa Park. She has a background as a museum executive, user experience researcher and designer, educator, and anthropologist. As the organization’s CEO, Dr. Babcock works alongside the City of San Diego and partner organizations to raise the park’s national profile, provide exceptional experiences for the park’s millions of visitors, and ensure that the park is a welcoming and inclusive place for all. Dr. Babcock is passionate about partnering with San Diego’s diverse communities to build a shared inclusive vision that will transform this beloved urban gem into one of the world’s premier parks.
Before joining Forever Balboa Park, Dr. Babcock served as the Chief Public Engagement Officer and the Roberts-Wilson Dean of Education at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Education and Library Collections for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
Dr. Babcock has received several awards, most recently the 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring for the California Academy of Science’s Careers in Science internship program. Elizabeth was recognized in 2013 as a White House Champion of Change by the Obama Administration and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in 2011, she was named as one of the Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times.
Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Indiana University, where she studied international migration and Belizean voluntary associations. She also holds a Certificate in E-learning Design and Development from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. in Psychology and a B.M. in Music Education from Northwestern University.
Senior Leadership:
Craig Batrez
Jacqueline Higgins, ASLA
Elizabeth Porter, CPA
Phillip Sammuli
Board Members
Doug Kerner, Chair
Victoria Hamilton, Chair-Elect
Allison Soares, Secretary/Treasurer
Sarah Evans, Immediate Past Chair
Connie Matsui, Immediate Past Chair
Joye Blount
Pat Caughey
Gaidi Finnie
Emily Fox
Joyce Gattas, PhD
George Hardy
James Hughes
Kerri Kapich
Maureen Lamberti
Lynn Langley
Monica Mroz
Betty Peabody
Gonzalo Rojas
Allison Rossett
Glenn Rossman
Jonathan Shulman
Michelle Slingerland
Pemberton Smith
John Toman
Ken Tranbarger
John Venekamp
Lucy Warren
Pete Wheeler
Ann Wilson
Michael Yee
Staff
Radka Bartholomew
Guadalupe Blanchard
Bill Brown
Jorge Campos
Lisa Campano
Ashley Carbonell
Brenda Castillo
Sophia Galvez
Tom Mcloughlin
Briggita Rehn
Andrea Smith
Erin Taylor
Janessa Wheeler
Jordan White