New executive director and grants/development coordinator in place, horizon looks promising

    HARLAN - With the departure of seasoned executive director Nate Buman and grants coordinator Aaron Hicks, the Historical Society board sprung into action and have two new leaders this summer.
    The new executive director, Sarah McDonald, relocated from Dallas, TX to Harlan this April.  She earned her B.A. degree in anthropology from Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX and her masters in history/museum studies from the Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH.
    Upon accepting the position McDonald said, “I am extremely glad to be here, and I cannot wait to experience all that Shelby County has to offer. I look forward to working with the museum and doing my best to continue the great work that has already taken place.  Her midwest ties included living in Lincoln and Alliance, NE and her mother’s work took the family to Texas.
Grants and Development
    The new grants and development director is Devin Sweeney. She has a B.A in public relations with a minor in political science from Baldwin Wallace Univ. in Berea, OH. She is originally from the Twin Cities and moved to Harlan from Cleveland, OH, this June. While in Cleveland she handled marketing for a small software company. Devin’s father was born and raised in Fort Dodge and she has family in Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Knoxville so being close to family was another critical part of her decision to relocate.