Elizabeth C. Babcock, PhD
President & CEOBuilding a Shared, Inclusive Vision for the Park.
Working together, we can sustain, envision and enhance the wonders of Balboa Park for all visitors.
Elizabeth C. Babcock, Ph.D., is the President & CEO of Forever Balboa Park, the City of San Diego’s nonprofit partner in sustaining and enhancing Balboa Park. She has a background as a museum executive, user experience researcher and designer, educator, and anthropologist. As the organization’s CEO, Dr. Babcock works alongside the City of San Diego and partner organizations to raise the park’s national profile, provide exceptional experiences for the park’s millions of visitors, and ensure that the park is a welcoming and inclusive place for all. Dr. Babcock is passionate about partnering with San Diego’s diverse communities to build a shared inclusive vision that will transform this beloved urban gem into one of the world’s premier parks.
Before joining Forever Balboa Park, Dr. Babcock served as the Chief Public Engagement Officer and the Roberts-Wilson Dean of Education at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Education and Library Collections for the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
Dr. Babcock has received several awards, most recently the 2022 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring for the California Academy of Science’s Careers in Science internship program. Elizabeth was recognized in 2013 as a White House Champion of Change by the Obama Administration and the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and in 2011, she was named as one of the Most Influential Women in Business by the San Francisco Business Times.
Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Indiana University, where she studied international migration and Belizean voluntary associations. She also holds a Certificate in E-learning Design and Development from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. in Psychology and a B.M. in Music Education from Northwestern University.
Senior Leadership:
Craig Batrez
Jacqueline Higgins, ASLA
Elizabeth Porter, CPA
Board Members

Doug Kerner, Chair

Victoria Hamilton, Chair-Elect

Allison Soares, Secretary/Treasurer

Sarah Evans, Immediate Past Chair

Connie Matsui, Immediate Past Chair

Joye Blount

Pat Caughey

Gaidi Finnie

Emily Fox

Joyce Gattas, PhD

George Hardy

James Hughes

Kerri Kapich

Maureen Lamberti

Lynn Langley

Monica Mroz

Betty Peabody

Gonzalo Rojas

Allison Rossett

Glenn Rossman

Jonathan Shulman

Michelle Slingerland

Pemberton Smith

John Toman

Ken Tranbarger

John Venekamp

Lucy Warren

Pete Wheeler

Ann Wilson

Michael Yee
Staff
Radka Bartholomew
Guadalupe Blanchard
Bill Brown
Jorge Campos
Lisa Campano
Ashley Carbonell
Brenda Castillo
Sophia Galvez
Tom Mcloughlin
Briggita Rehn
Andrea Smith
Erin Taylor
Janessa Wheeler
Jordan White