Sanctuary hires visitor experience coordinator

For the next person who steps foot inside the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, it will be Sarah Waters' job to make sure they have the best experience possible.

Waters recently was hired as the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary's visitor experience coordinator and started her new position on Monday.

"I'm responsible for ensuring the highest quality for all public areas of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. That would include exhibits, educational offerings and public programming," she said.

Waters, a native of the metro Detroit area, received her undergraduate education at Michigan State University in parks and recreation and archaeology. She has a master's degree in maritime studies from East Carolina University.

Her previous jobs have included terrestrial archaeology, a maritime museum curator, teaching maritime history and literature aboard a schooner as part of a college program and working for the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild.

Waters' responsibilities will include overseeing the sanctuary store, interns, volunteers and events. She would like to see the heritage center become a focal point for community events and a draw for out of town visitors, she said.

"Now that we've had a season for people to interact with this shipwreck century, we can make modifications based on what people have to say. We have many places the topics can be expanded. The facility itself has so much potential for public education and programs," she said. "This week I'm familiarizing myself with the events and staff. Then I'll be working with sanctuary staff to move forward with the plan for exhibit expansion and refining the current exhibits."

There are several areas within the exhibit collection and the heritage center where additional items can be placed. This can include more information, artifacts or another film to the theater.

"As soon as we set some time tables we'll be letting everyone know when they can expect new things," she said.

Patty Ramus can be reached via e-mail at pramus@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.