Brenda Raney

Brenda Raney joined the Minnesota Historical Society in 2017, thrilled with the opportunity to merge her broad museum work experience with her academic background in History. She believes in the power of objects and the stories they tell to expand how people and communities understand themselves and others. As Senior Vice President, Library, Research, & Collections, Brenda oversees the teams responsible for all of the items in our collections, from acquisition to research to outreach.

Brenda’s first role at MNHS was in the Development Department, and she added Advancement and Community Engagement to her portfolio before taking her current position in 2020. Prior to MNHS, Brenda held roles in Human Resources, Government Relations, and Development at the Science Museum of Minnesota and was the director of development at The Works Museum. 

Brenda began her museum career as a graduate research assistant at the Missouri Historical Society while pursuing an M.A. in History and Museum Studies at the University of Missouri - St. Louis. She holds a B.A. in History and American Studies from St. Olaf College.