Our Staff

Sara Phalen

Director/Curator

Sara has had a passion for history and museums since her first visit as a young child to the Princeton Historical Museum, where she learned about the Cherry mine disaster. Learning about history, other cultures, and places around the world allowed her to take in new experiences beyond her rural farming community. She began working in the Registration department at the Spurlock Museum at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, while earning a B.A. in both English and Anthropology. Sara continued her education in graduate school at Northern Illinois University in law, museum studies, and applied anthropology. She completed her Master's of Nonprofit Management at North Park University in 2012.

Sara joined the West Chicago Museum staff in 2006 as a summer intern and continued with the museum in the roles of education coordinator and registrar. In 2013, Sara became the director/curator. Sara has a passion for sharing local history and the wonderful connections it can make between people. She is also an active West Chicago community member, serving on the boards of the People Made Visible/Gallery 200,  and the West Chicago Historical Society. Additionally, she is a core team member of Healthy West Chicago and the President of the Kane DuPage Regional Museum Association. In 2024 she was appointed to the Illinois State Museum Board.

Emese Toth

Registrar

Marissa Garza

Museum Educator