Dr. Cheryl Ragar combines her lifelong love of history and learning with extensive experience in both nonprofit and academic settings to lead the team and programming at the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum. A native of Kansas, Cheryl lived in the Midwest and in New Orleans before settling in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge with her husband. Her diverse experiences have given her a deep appreciation for place-based history, beauty, and unique stories that guides her vision for how we preserve and interpret the natural and cultural history and lived experience of this unique region. Cheryl holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas and earned a doctorate degree in American Studies from the same institution, where she worked on a major traveling exhibition centered on the life and work of artist Aaron Douglas.