The Friends of the Wheelwright provide support to the museum through fundraising, educational programs, trips, and volunteerism. As a Friend you can help in a variety of ways:

  • Greet visitors as a gallery host
  • Provide gallery tours as a docent
  • Work in the Case Trading Post
  • Help with the annual Fundraising events
  • Be involved in special fundraising events
  • Assist with exhibition openings
  • Provide hospitality at Friends and Museum events

If you would like to become a Friends Member, you’ll need to purchase a general museum membership and a Friends Membership (Individual/Family). Use the buttons below to see your membership options.

MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP (Click Here)

FRIENDS MEMBERSHIP (Click Here)

Note: You must have a Museum membership to add on a Friends membership.


2021–2022 FRIENDS Board Officers

President
Ron Ferguson

Retired four years ago from a career in education that included: headmaster of Episcopal schools, public school principal and teacher, and education director for correctional/rehabilitation facilities. Currently Senior Warden at St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, a Community in Schools mentor and volunteer at The Food Depot. At the Wheelwright, I completed the full year of Docent training and was a Case Trading Post volunteer. I have been on the Friends Board for two years including one as vice-president and looking forward to serving as President during the transition year from the COVID restrictions.


Vice President
Flicka Slade

Started Volunteering at the Museum as a Gallery Host and was soon asked to coordinate Volunteers for the Auction. (Did that for 6+ years) Became co-chair of the Book Club. Trained as a Docent for the Jewelry Gallery opening in 2014. Took over the scheduling of the Gallery Hosts. Have served on the Friends Board of Directors, since 2013 which includes three years as Board President, one year as Treasurer. Looking forward to serving as the Friends Vice President as the Museum moves past COVID restrictions and into 2022.


Secretary
Heather Weir

Heather moved to Santa Fe five years ago from the San Francisco area, Toronto, and Brooklyn; Heather was a stay-at-home Mom, raising three sons and volunteering. She was a high school volunteer at the Getty Museum photo archives which led to a degree in art history. An enthusiastic participant in the Wheelwright Book Club, she attended an epic Wheelwright Friends Trading Post field trip to Gallup in 2019, deciding then to join the Board of the Friends of the Wheelwright as secretary and is looking forward to a repeat year in the same role.


Treasurer
Jim Vaughan

Jim Vaughan moved to Santa Fe in 2014 after retiring from a 40+ year career as a chamber of commerce executive in the south and southwest. He has served four years on the Friends board including terms as Parliamentarian, Vice President, and President.


Assistant Treasurer
Mike Ryan

Mike retired in 2011 after a thirty-year career as a financial advisor, teacher, and writer. He and his wife Pam moved to Santa Fe in 2017. He is the author of Turquoise in America, a three-volume comprehensive history. Mike has been a docent for three years and has served on the Friends board for two years.


Parliamentarian
Sam School

I am a retired educator, most recently having worked at Zuni Pueblo and for the Albuquerque Public Schools. Even before going to Zuni or ever visiting New Mexico, I started collecting Zuni fetishes, which was my introduction to Native Art. I have been coming to view exhibits at the Wheelwright for twenty-five years and am very pleased to be a volunteer. Sam has served on the Friends Board for 2 ½ years.

Annual Friends Meeting June 15, 2021 (1:00 PM MST)

Recorded at the Wheelwright Museum via Zoom


Watch our past lectures/videos on our YouTube Channel.