LORÉN M. SPEARS (NARRAGANSETT NIANTIC)

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Lorén M. Spears, enrolled Narragansett Tribal Nation citizen and Executive Director of Tomaquag Museum, holds a Master’s in Education and received a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2017, from the University of Rhode Island and Doctor of Education, Honoris Causa from Roger Williams University in 2021. She is an author, artist and shares her cultural knowledge with the public through museum programs. She has contributed to a variety of publications such as Dawnland Voices, An Anthology of Indigenous Writing of New England; Through Our Eyes: An Indigenous View of Mashapaug Pond; From Slaves to Soldiers: The 1st Rhode Island Regiment in the American Revolution; and Repair: Sustainable Design Futures. Spears co-edited a new edition of A Key into the Language of America by Roger Williams; and recently co-authored “As We Have Always Done: Decolonizing the Tomaquag Museum’s Collections Management Policy" published in the Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archive Professionals. Under her leadership Tomaquag Museum received the Institute of Museums and Library Service's National Medal in 2016 and she has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors.

SILVERMOON MARS LAROSE (NARRAGANSETT NIANTIC)

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Silvermoon Mars LaRose is a member of the Narragansett Tribe, devoted to her family, and always striving to be a good Auntie to all within her community. As the Assistant Director of the Tomaquag Museum, she is dedicated to the sharing of cultural education and the preservation of cultural belongings held in trust for future generations. Silvermoon has worked in tribal communities for over 20 years, serving in the areas of health and human services, education, and humanities. In 2022, Silvermoon participated in the Rhode Island Foundation’s inaugural Equity Leadership Initiative cohort and now sits on its steering committee. As a public servant, Silvermoon serves on the Rhode Island State Council for the Arts, and as the secretary for the Charlestown Conservation Commission. Additionally, she is the vice chair for the Avenue Concept supporting local public art ecosystems. As an artist and educator, she hopes to foster Indigenous empowerment through education, community building, and the sharing of cultural knowledge and traditional arts. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, a minor in Justice Law and Society from the University of Rhode Island, and a partially completed Masters in Rehabilitation Counseling from Western Washington University. 

LAUREL SPEARS (NARRAGANSETT NIANTIC)

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Laurel Spears is the Executive Assistant at Tomaquag Museum and a citizen of the Narragansett Tribe. She holds a Bachelor's degree in animal science from the University of Rhode Island. In her role, she provides crucial administrative support to the Executive Director, manages interoffice communications, and assists the in the capital campaign for the museum's new facility. Laurel's diverse skill set, coupled with her deep cultural understanding, contributes to the seamless operation of the institution and fosters a sense of unity within the team. Beyond her professional duties, Laurel finds solace in her love for nature, nurtured by her close connection to her four dogs, cats, goats, and rabbit.

BETH LOGUE

BUSINESS & FINANCE MANAGER

Beth Logue is Tomaquag Museum’s Business Finance Manager. She brings 21 years financial experience managing retail bank operation call center teams, client support teams and recently managed a remote office in R.I. for a large third party COBRA administrator out of the Mid-West. Beth enjoys domestic and international travel, can be found on the shores of southern Rhode Island on her boat and most of all time spent with her kids that she is most proud of. She has a Batchelor of Science in Sociology from Frostburg State University (1999), Frostburg Maryland.

DENISE COSTELLO

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Since 2020, Denise Costello has been Tomaquag Museum’s Planning and Development Coordinator. Denise has undergraduate degrees from Rhode Island College in Anthropology/Public Archaeology as well as Secondary Education. Previously, she supervised archaeological digs in New England and South Dakota. She was also the Associate Curator for the Ethnological Collections at Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History. Her experience in development began in 2000 with her role as Chairperson of the Richmond Recreation Commission and as a key project manager for the community-built Beaver River Playground. She later worked in development at Providence Children's Museum. Denise is a Secular Franciscan, born and raised in Rhode Island. She is a naturalist and spends as much time as possible outdoors. Denise's interests include tending public gardens, kayaking, making jewelry with glass and stone beads, and attending Zumba classes.

CAITEE WINKLER

DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANT

ANTHONY BELZ (Updated)

COLLECTIONS & ARCHIVES MANAGER

Anthony Belz is the Archivist and Collections Manager at Tomaquag Museum. Before becoming an archivist, Anthony spent nearly five years working as an archaeologist. He has a total of over 16 years of experience in the museum field, including 8 ½ years at the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology at Brown University. His research interests include archaeology and history, folklore, oral history, ethnomusicology, exhibit curation, and design, writing, and preservation science. He has an Associate in Arts from Heartland Community College (2002); Bachelor of Science degree in Anthropology from Illinois State University (2004)-both in Normal, Illinois, and a Master’s degree in Library and Information Studies from the University of Rhode Island (2012). He currently serves on the Rhode Island Historic Records Advisory Board, Rhode Island Archives and Manuscripts Collection Online Executive Committee and the Northeast Documents Conservation Center Advisory Committee.

KATE CULLEN-FRY (NARRAGANSETT)

ARCHIVAL ASSISTANT

Kate Cullen-Fry is our Archival Assistant. As a member of the Narragansett Tribe, her position allows her the opportunity to connect with the tribal community in the recording of oral histories, as well as the identification and digitization of photographs. Her role also includes research for the museum and organizing, transcribing and processing documents for archives. Kate has a deep love for genealogical research which she has been compiling for the past 16 years and hopes to help empower others to gain knowledge of their own history. Born and raised in Narragansett Pier, she is a passionate music and Boston sports fan.

CHLOË LAUREN GARDINER (NARRAGANSETT)

MEDIA & TECH COORDINATOR

Chloë LaurenGardiner is an enrolled member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and the Tomaquag Museum’s Media and Technology Coordinator. In her position, she directs short films, facilitates media content, and promotes programs. She manages the Tomaquag Museum’s Instagram @TomaquagMuseum. Chloë earned her B.A. in English Literature from the Catholic University of America in 2014 and her M.F.A. in Film and Television Production with an Emphasis in Directing from Loyola Marymount University in 2020. Previously, Chloë worked for various film production companies as a script analyst during the 2020, 2021, and 2022 Cannes Film Festivals. She has written, directed, and produced her short films, which have been showcased in film festivals. She is a stargazer with a passion for astronomy and continues to strengthen her skills in astrophotography. She was recently invited to the Artemis 1 launch by NASA and is currently working on a documentary about NASA’s Artemis Missions.

QUANAH LAROSE (UTÉ)

MARKETING ASSOCIATE

Quanah LaRose is the Marketing Associate at Tomaquag Museum. With a background in computer programming from New England Tech, Quanah manages the museum’s marketing and design strategy, data collection and analytics, and its website. Born and raised on the Uintah and Ouray Ute reservation in Fort Duchesne, UT, Quanah is a member of the Uncompaghre Ute Band on his mother’s side and the Uintah Ute Band on his father’s side. Quanah is a talented artist and has performed professionally across North America and Europe since the age of sixteen. He is a champion grass dancer; a traditional singer; and a member of The Boyz, an award-winning northern drum group from St. Paul, MN. He has participated in cultural exchanges across France for over two decades, performing in venues including the Élysée Palace, the US Embassy in Paris, and the George Pompidou Centre.

SAMANTHA CULLEN-FRY (NARRAGANSETT)

INDIGENOUS EMPOWERMENT CENTER MANAGER

Samantha Cullen-Fry is the Indigenous Empowerment Center (IEC) Program Manager at Tomaquag Museum. Samantha’s role is to help facilitate relationships, through museum partnerships, that create a catalyst for economic change within the Native Community of Rhode Island. Many of the relationships formed have been with nonprofits in the state of Rhode Island. These partnerships focus on the various areas of interest in the community, including but not limited to theater, community-led initiatives, metalworking, pottery, education, business development, entrepreneurship, fish and wildlife, and many others.  Samantha comes from a strong background in sales management. The creation of IEC was a calling for her to get back into the workforce after being a stay at home mom of her two beautiful girls. Her goal is to make a meaningful difference in her community through social justice and activism lens. In her spare time, Samantha enjoys attending Providence basketball games, listening to audiobooks, podcasts. She also enjoys gardening. Samantha is currently attending College Unbound in Providence, RI, obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership and Change.

HAYLEY HARRIS (NARRAGANSETT)

IEC RETAIL COORDINATOR

CHRYSTAL G. MARS BAKER (NARRAGANSETT NIANTIC)

EDUCATION MANAGER

Chrystal Mars Baker, is a Narragansett Tribal citizen whose love and service to family is her primary motivation for all she does.  She feels blessed to descend from paternal and maternal lineages of her Tribe whose examples of integrity, hard work and spirituality are core values upon which she conducts her daily life.  Chrystal is an educator who enjoys reading, researching, sharing history, and having thought provoking dialogue.  As the first postsecondary graduate of her family, she proudly holds a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education/Social Studies from the University of Rhode Island.  In her professional capacity, Chrystal is the Education Manager at the Tomaquag Museum, serves on the Board of Directors for the Rhode Island Humanities and The JonnyCake Center of Wakefield. As a member of the Charlestown Historical Society, she carries on the legacy of her grandparents who were among its founders.  Her role in these organizations enable her to share cultural knowledge while working to uplift the Native voice.