Marla Van Thournout has been managing volunteers since 2009. She holds a BA degree in Art History & French Studies from the University of Minnesota and a certificate in Free Choice Learning from Oregon State University. Van Thournout spent her career at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, Missouri, where she started as the Coordinator, Volunteer Services before working her way to Manager, Volunteer Engagement. There, she engages in strategic planning as well as hands-on management of the museum’s more than 450 active volunteers, with a special focus on the Docent and Museum Guide programs. She particularly enjoys the community-building, collaboration and learning opportunities that volunteerism and volunteer management provide.
