“I have always loved history,” said Kristie Sheppard, executive director of the Napa County Historical Society. “My dad and I watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when I was 7 years old and I really wanted to be an archeologist.”

Sheppard was an anthropology major in college at the University of Central Florida. Later, she worked in history museums, and earned her masters degree in museum studies from the University of Leicester in Leicester, England via a distance learning program.

Originally from Philadelphia, Sheppard moved to Napa in 2006 to become the executive director of the Napa County Historical Society. 

 

Which three people would you most like to have dinner with?

Jane Goodall.

Benjamin Franklin.

My grandmother, Marge Watters.

What job would you like to try/not like to try?

Surgeon or zookeeper is a job I would like to try. I would not like to be an accountant.

What was your first job?

Scooping water ice at Rita’s Water Ice, outside of Philly. Water Ice is like a cross between a Slurpee and sorbet. 

If you could take a year off and work at any other museum in the world, where would you work?

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The Holocaust and World War II period is my favorite part of history to study.  It’s the most powerful museum I’ve ever been to. 

What’s something people might be surprised to know about the Napa County Historical Society?

I think people are surprised we’ve been around for 61 years and what a resource for local history we are. We have more than 6,000 photographs from Napa County in our collection. The photographs are my favorite part of the collection. They capture history and bring time from long ago to life. It’s very powerful. 

 

What is one thing you hope to accomplish in your lifetime that you haven’t yet?

Speak French fluently. In 2005, I lived in France for a year.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

I would like the local city governments and county government to support the society financially on a regular basis. Aside from a three-year grant from the county, we receive no city or county funding.

If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be? 

In Philadelphia hanging out with my family. 

What’s the most significant project you’ve been involved with in your career?

Re-opening the Goodman Library as home of the Napa County Historical Society in 2007. We were moved out from 2003 to 2006 for retrofit. Moving back in was a lot of work.

What other business person(s) would you like to see featured in “10 Questions?”

Francis Ford Coppola.

Jim Nord, personal asset manager.

Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller, owners of the Fatted Calf.

More from Kristie Sheppard