Elizabeth C. Babcock, PhD
President & CEO
Visionary Leadership

Building 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
Vice President of Facilities & Operations
Jacqueline Higgins, ASLA
Vice President of Planning
Elizabeth Porter, CPA
Vice President of Finance
Phillip Sammuli
Vice President of Institutional Advancement

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

Sessions Newsletter

Subscribe For Park Updates

Some description text for this item

Forever Balboa Park © 2024. All Rights Reserved.

LiveChat
to top