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Jen Roger
Jen Roger Arrives to Head Benicia Historical Museum
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— George Bernard Shaw
Jeannine Mendoza, Ed.D
Jen Rogers has signed on as executive director of Benicia Historical Museum. She replaces former executive director, Elizabeth d’Huart who has moved out of state.
Ms. Roger’s previous job was at California State Parks’ Angel Island where she was in collections conservation and management, supervised research requests, and also cataloged artifacts, among other duties. She was furloughed due to severe cutbacks made by California State Parks in a response to the COVID pandemic, and is happy and excited to have landed at her current position here in our town. Jen Roger explained that she has great plans for the popular Benicia Historical Museum.
According to Ms. Roger, the Benicia Historical Museum’s greatest strength is its cadre of hardworking, capable and dedicated volunteers who keep the museum running like clockwork. This tireless collection of individuals provide tour guides for school groups and adult visitors, act as archive assistants to help with cataloging historical artifacts, and assist with fundraising events like concerts, raffles, dinners, auctions and exhibit openings, and special events like the Benicia Independence Day Parade. Ms. Roger is particularly excited to have volunteers at events like First Fridays that would feature fascinating talks on Benicia’s history, candlelit holiday events with carols and refreshments, and other similar events that foster growth and build a sense of community. Ms. Roger sees the Benicia Historical Museum as a destination and gathering point for visitors and Benicia residents alike. She believes that local museums such as the Benicia Historical Museum, “… extend and strengthen the fabric of our communities…” as they build kinship and connections among the local residents.
As we welcome Jen Roger to her new post at Benicia Historical Museum, we also welcome her enthusiasm and broad vision for the future. Indeed, Angel Island’s loss is Benicia’s gain: Jen Roger’s far-reaching plan for her tenure at the Benicia Historical Museum is exciting and ambitious, and we look forward to a new chapter at our favorite local museum.
