Tag Archives: Mary van Balgooy

Exciting News: Expanded Services for Museum and Historic Site Management

At Engaging Places, we are committed to helping museums and historic sites engage audiences and preserve our shared heritage. We are excited to announce the expansion of our services to include collections stewardship documents that align with the ethics and professional standards set by the American Alliance of Museums, as well as governance materials—essential tools that equip their board members with the necessary knowledge and resources to govern effectively and advance the organization’s mission.

These new services are led by Mary van Balgooy, Vice President of Engaging Places. Mary brings extensive experience as an executive director of both local and national nonprofit organizations and as a collections manager for history museums and historical societies of all sizes. Her expertise allows us to offer customized solutions tailored to each organization’s unique needs. Whether you are a newly established nonprofit or a long-standing institution, we will provide the necessary documentation and best practices to support your collections management and equip your leadership team with effective governance tools. Learn more about Mary’s impressive background here.

Services Provided:

Continue reading

The Mid-Century Ranch House: Mary van Balgooy Shares Its History on Marketplace

Mary van Balgooy, vice president of Engaging Places, shared a brief history of the ranch house in America on Marketplace today. The ranch house was one of the most prolific housing styles of the mid-twentieth century, and Mary is one of the nation’s leading experts on Cliff May, the designer behind more than 3,000 homes in the U.S. who played a pivotal role in popularizing this style with the help of Sunset and House Beautiful magazines. Mary has authored two influential articles on Cliff May (here and here), one of which earned the Doyce Nunis Award from the Historical Society of Southern California, and a lengthy series of blog posts at Xamary.

Hosted by Kai Ryssdal, Marketplace provides essential context on the day’s economic news through stories, conversations, and data, helping listeners make sense of the economic landscape. The show reaches more than 11.7 million listeners each week across 800 public radio stations nationwide, with an additional 2.3 million listeners tuning in via podcasts.

Mary van Balgooy Appointed Executive Director of SWG

Mary van Balgooy at the headquarters of the Society of Woman Geographers.

Mary van Balgooy at the headquarters of the Society of Woman Geographers.

Today Mary van Balgooy, vice president of Engaging Places, LLC, becomes the first executive director of the Society of Woman Geographers (SWG), an international membership association based in Washington, DC.

SWG was founded in 1925 in New York by four women who were recognized explorers but ineligible for membership in similar male-only organizations. Over the decades, its members have included aviatrix Amelia Earhart, anthropologist Margaret Mead, author Pearl Buck, archaeologist Mary Douglas Leakey, and primatologist Jane Goodall. It has grown from Continue reading