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The Oregon Council for the Humanities believes that knowledge and ideas are fundamental to the health of our communities. In this spirit, OCH programs and publications are designed to provide participants the opportunity to reflect upon and discuss the critical issues and ideas of our time. Thanks to support from public and private sources, OCH programs are offered free of charge to nonprofit organizations, schools, and individuals.
OCH Press Releases
OCH names Cara Ungar-Gutierrez as new executive director (February 14, 2007)
Former director of education programs at Oregon Historical Society takes the helm in March 2007
The board of the Oregon Council for the Humanities (OCH) has named Cara Ungar-Gutierrez as its new executive director, announced board chair Jill Powers Kirk on Monday. Ungar-Gutierrez, who most recently served as Director of Education for the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) in Portland, will officially assume her duties on March 5.
Ungar-Gutierrez will be the fourth executive director of OCH, which was established in 1971 by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and is one of five statewide partners of the Oregon Cultural Trust, a statewide plan that raises funds to invest in Oregon's arts, humanities, and heritage. She succeeds Christopher Zinn, who left the organization last fall. She will manage a staff of seven and be responsible for an annual operating budget of $1 million, 60 percent of which comes from the NEH.
Kirk says, "The search committee was impressed with Cara's enthusiasm for the humanities and experience in nonprofit management. She will bring energy and creativity to this well-established, well-respected organization and will speak eloquently about the importance of the humanities in Oregonians' daily lives."
At OHS, Ungar-Gutierrez developed and managed community outreach programs for four years. In that capacity, she collaborated with community partners, including the Portland Art Museum, Portland Youth Philharmonic, City Club of Portland, Oregon Zoo, State Historic Preservation Office, and Oregon Heritage Commission. Ungar-Gutierrez, who has a Ph.D. in composition and rhetoric from Miami University in Ohio, also has extensive teaching, fundraising, fiscal management, and community service experience.
"The humanities provide us with insight regarding how it is that people make sense of what it means to be fully human," says Ungar-Gutierrez. "They represent a conversation that happens across time and place. I see this position as an opportunity to help bring this conversation to the public in ways that are accessible and deeply meaningful."
Contact: Kathleen Holt, Editor, (503) 241-0543 x16
General OCH information
The Oregon Council for the Humanities is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. OCH was established in 1971 and is one of five statewide partners of the Oregon Cultural Trust. If you have questions about any of our programs, please view our staff list to find the appropriate contact person or call us at (503) 241-0543 in Portland or (800) 735-0543 from elsewhere in the state.