Preston Bautista: Vice President, Learning and Engagement
Lisle, IL – Museum executive Preston Bautista has joined the Morton Arboretum as Vice President of Learning and Engagement. In this role, he will be responsible for advancing the Arboretum’s strategy for education, knowledge management, interpretation and exhibits, and major exhibitions.
Bautista brings new dimensions and perspectives to the work and mission of the Arboretum. Building on his strong professional experience leading cultural programs at other museums, he will focus on engaging audiences to appreciate and advocate for trees and their role in the environment, a significant priority of the Arboretum.
Bautista comes to the Arboretum from the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields, where he served as Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs and Public Engagement. Previously, he held positions in public programs at the Baltimore Museum of Art and at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Earlier career experiences, also in Los Angeles, include the Getty Foundation and J. Paul Getty Museum.
The Morton Arboretum, the Champion of Trees, leads the global effort to sustain a greener, healthier, and more beautiful world through extensive research and educational programs centered on trees, shrubs, and other woody plants. The Arboretum is the destination of more than one million annual visitors who explore 1,700 acres of collections, gardens, and landscapes that are home to thousands of different species of trees and plants from around the world. The Arboretum ranks among the leading arboreta of the world in size, age, quality of specimens, and programs and initiatives to plant and protect trees.
