Kauffman Museum Staff
Andi Schmidt Andres, Director
About Andi: Andi has worked at Kauffman Museum since 1993. In her role as Director, she is responsible for special events such as fundraising dinners and receptions, educational programs for children and families including Uncle Carl’s Camps and Celebrate Kansas Day!, managing the museum store, coordinating the volunteer program, supervision of student employees and Kauffman Museum administrative duties.
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After graduating from Bethel College with degrees in German (1984) and Environmental Studies with an emphasis in education (1985), Andi worked for six years for the City of Colorado Springs. Through the Parks and Recreation Department, she supervised interpretive programs at Garden of the Gods Park, at North Cheyenne Canon Park and on the summit of Pikes Peak. Andi lives outside Newton on a farm with her husband, daughter, a few goats and many barn cats.
Email: asa@bethelks.edu
Office Phone: (316) 283-1612
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
Chuck Regier, Curator of Exhibits
About Chuck: Chuck began work at Kauffman Museum in 1985 as an exhibit builder and craftsmen. Working closely with Robert Regier, Bethel College art instructor and Kauffman Museum exhibit designer, Chuck gradually took on a larger roll in exhibit design. Chuck has led Kauffman Museum’s consulting work for a number of other museums, including permanent exhibits at the Stauth Memorial Museum in Montezuma, KS and the Penrose Heritage Museum in Colorado Springs.
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Chuck grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his parents worked with the Mennonite Church in agricultural development and public health. He graduated from Bethel College in 1981 with Industrial Arts and Bible and Religion degrees and has lived in Newton ever since. Married to Cindy Bertsche Regier (’82), their children all graduated from Bethel. Chuck is passionate about cooking, biking and raises chickens and rabbits at their in-town farm.
Email: crregier@bethelks.edu
Office Phone: (316) 283-1612
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
David Kreider, Museum Technician
About David: David began work at Kauffman Museum in 1985 as an exhibit builder and craftsman working together with Chuck Regier to fabricate and install the permanent exhibit, Of Land and People. Dave left Kansas in the fall 1988 and returned to KM in the summer of 2000.
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During the time away he worked at other museums – as preparator for the Anthropology Division of Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven, Connecticut; assistant preparator at Harn Museum of Art at University of Florida; and as a naturalist instructor at Morningside Nature Center, Gainesville, Florida.
In his current role Dave prepares the temporary exhibits, maintains the permanent exhibit, travels with and installs traveling exhibits, and coordinates incoming donations and care for our collections. Since 2006 he has coordinated for Humanities Kansas the shipping and installation of Smithsonian Museum on Main Street exhibits around Kansas. Depending on the season you may see him swinging a broad axe or riding the high-wheel bicycle for a school group.
Email: dkreider@bethelks.edu
Office Phone: (316) 283-1612
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
Kristin Schmidt, Museum Assistant
About Kristin: Kristin began working at Kauffman Museum as the part-time bookkeeper in 1999. This evolved into museum assistant when her hours were increased to half-time providing oversight of the custodial needs of the museum, assisting with the Museum Store, Museum Bus Tours, front desk docents and other needs as they arise.
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In 2004, with her attention to details, Kristin added on the half-time Bethel College Business Office accounts payable clerk position. She enjoys this continuity between the college museum and the rest of the Bethel College campus. Kristin continues to partner with her husband on their family farm, enjoy their three adult children and daughter-in-law (all Bethel College graduates) and delight in their granddaughter. She enjoys reading a book outside on her front porch while drinking hot tea or taking in the wonders of the night sky.
Email: kristins@bethelks.edu
Office Phone: (316) 283-1612
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
Austin Prouty, Exhibition Assistant
About Austin: Austin’s collaboration with Kauffman Museum began while working on Campaign for a New China as part of his Bethel College senior seminar project. Since 2020, Austin has served in the role of Exhibition Assistant, focusing on exhibit fabrication, graphic design, and photography and videography.
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Austin grew up on a farm west of Newton, and graduated from Bethel College in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Graphic Design. He currently splits his time between Newton and Los Angeles, California where he is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from California Institute of the Arts.
Email: prouty.austin@gmail.com
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
John Fast, Visitor Services Coordinator
About John: John joined Kauffman Museum at the beginning of 2022 as the Visitors Services Coordinator. John brings 38 years of experience in education as a Teacher, Curriculum Director, Principal and Superintendent to Kauffman Museum. After completing his doctorate in Educational Leadership in 2005 from WSU he served as superintendent at Goessel, USD 411 until taking early retirement. Over the years he has served as a volunteer at Kauffman Museum helping with Kansas Day, fundraising projects and served two terms on the Board of Directors.
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If you don’t find John in his garden, woodworking shop, or making barn quilts you will find him on his bicycle, exploring back roads and trails in Kansas. He has ridden Bike Across Kansas 11 times and enjoys exploring small town museums and historical markers. He and his wife live on a small farm near Goessel where they enjoy walks through their pasture and reclaimed prairie planted by his father. One of his favorite memories of the Kauffman Museum occurred when he was a teenager and his grandmother’s house was moved to North Newton to be a part of the farmstead and he got to be the flag man as the house traveled down K-15.
Email:
Office Phone: (316) 283-1612
Office Location: Kauffman Museum
Volunteer Professionals
Dianne Epp, Collections Processing
Rachel Pannabecker, Special Projects
Karen Schlabaugh, Collections Data Entry
Loretta Wiens, Membership Records
Bob Simmons, Master Gardener
Constance Gehring, Herb Gardener
Constance Gehring & Rosie Gehring, Flower Gardeners
Museum Student Assistants
Nathan Garber, Bethel College ’22, Newton, Kansas
Board of Directors
Donna Becker (President), Retired Teacher & Administrator
Kendra Burkey, Owner, Salted Creamery
Barbara Bunting, Community Volunteer
Chris Conrade, Conrade Insurance
Josue Coy Dick, Associate member, Undergraduate student
Christine Downey-Schmidt, Retired educator
Marianne Eichelberger, Retired Library Director
Steve Friesen, Friesen-Dakin Museum Consulting, Owner/Consultant
Julian Gonzalez-Salamanca, Director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Bethel College
Debra Hamm, Retired Educator & Administrator
Jenny Masias, Bethel College, Adjunct Instructor of Spanish
Johann Reimer, Hesston College, Director of Engineering Education
Cindy Wiens (Secretary), Attorney, Adrian & Pankratz
Ex-Officio
Andi Schmidt Andres, Director, Kauffman Museum
Pam Tieszen, Bethel College, Vice President for Institutional Advancement
VISIT US
27th and North Main St.
North Newton, KS 67117
Across from the main campus of
Bethel College
HOURS
Tue-Fri 9:30am-4:30pm
Sat-Sun 1:30pm-4:30pm
Closed Mondays and
Major Holidays
CONTACT US
(316) 283-1612
kauffman@bethelks.edu
Mailing address:
300 E. 27th Street
North Newton, KS, 67117-1716