Leadership

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.