Mahala came to ANCA in February 2023 from the cultural heritage sector where she worked in programming and interpretation at museums and historic sites. She brings with her experience in community engagement, education, program development and digital humanities. Mahala believes in using her work to educate, foster positive change and serve her communities.
Mahala holds B.A.’s in History and Archaeology from SUNY Potsdam and an M.A. in Public History with a Certificate in Digital Humanities from Northeastern University.
While working at rural museums during the pandemic, she developed programs to increase technology access and digital literacy in rural communities, which sparked her interest in rural development. Mahala has a love for the history and culture of the Adirondacks and the North Country and is excited to use her work to serve those communities.
In her free time she likes to get outside as much as possible, usually in her kayak, but also relies on a good novel and stash of craft supplies during the long Saranac Lake winters!