Who's Who
Our Mission Statement The Western Center for Archaeology & Paleontology is dedicated to the preservation, curation, interpretation, and presentation of archaeological and paleontological artifacts and fossils. The Western Center provides educational, research, and service opportunities to the general public and to students, faculty and staff from learning institutions as a means of advancing knowledge and understanding of the environmental history, cultural heritage and the importance of water to life in the region.
The Western Center provides a repository for archaeological and paleontological materials and the documentation of cultural and natural histories from this region. Campus facilities and professional expertise are focused to extract maximum knowledge from these materials, advance the understanding of our collective past and to provide a scientific foundation in planning for our future.
Staff
Richard Giese - Executive Director
Richard Giese has more than 35 years of experience in higher education. Dr. Giese established himself as an effective leader and a dedicated administrator with a strong commitment to the community. His many affiliations include sitting on the board of directors for Hemet-San Jacinto Chamber of Commerce, Riverside’s Monday Morning Group, the Murrieta-Temecula Group and the Hemet/San Jacinto Action Group. Giese served on the Western Center Community Foundation board from 1999 until his recent resignation to apply for the executive director position. Giese was superintendent and president of Mt. San Jacinto Community College District for seven years. Before that he spent eight years as president at Reedley College and six years at Fresno State University in charge of administration, instruction, student support and maintenance. Giese’s own education began at San Diego Mesa Community College and he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of San Diego, where he later worked in school relations. He received his doctorate degree in education from the University of La Verne in 1996.
Paisley S. Cato - Assistant Director Dr. Cato has extensive experience with the care and management of collections, most recently having spent eight years at the San Diego Natural History Museum as Curator of Collections Care & Conservation. She has worked with collections in a variety of disciplines and a variety of institutions, including the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Texas Cooperative Wildlife Collection at Texas A&M University, the Brazos Valley Museum (Bryan, Texas) and the Denver Museum of Natural History. Cato obtained a B.A. in Zoology from Smith College (Mass.), an M.A. in Museum Science from Texas Tech University, and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, specializing in Museum Studies. Her dissertation focused on a characterization of natural history museums and the role of collections as the focus for the mission of these museums. She has successfully obtained numerous Conservation Project Support Grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, as well as co-authored Biological Research Collections grants from the National Science Foundation. Cato publishes in museum studies journals and books, and has taught undergraduate and continuing education courses in museum studies and collections management.
Christian P. Hansen - Museum Educator
As a longtime educator, Mr. Hansen brings his expertise in teaching to the Western Center's educational programs. Hansen has been educating the leaders of tomorrow with the Hemet Unified School District since 1990, working with students from kindergarten through 12th grade. He holds a B.A. from San Diego State University and an M.A.T. from Grand Canyon University. He has specialized training in teaching reading and science in the elementary classroom. While studying in San Diego he was a graduate member of the SDSU excavation team at the San Diego Royal Presidio. He has worked with various environmental services companies and participated in archaeological surveys and test-site excavations ranging from near modern period to prehistoric. Mr. Hansen has continued his education with studies of Educational Theory and Practices, Archaeology, and is an accomplished flint knapper. After hours he is an active leader with the Boy Scouts and counsels the Archaeology Merit Badge.
Joyce E. Simanek - Museum Store & Admissions Manager Ms. Simanek comes to the Western Center with an extensive and diverse seventeen years of retail experience. Simanek is a longtime resident of the Hemet area, who spent eight years working in Temecula Valley Wine Country at some of the area's most prestigious wineries. Her retail and business knowledge is extensive and varied enough to provide capable operations. She is also highly skilled in planning admissions for very large groups, as well as for individual guests. Simanek has a great understanding of the national market availability to find one-of-a-kind and exclusive products to be offered in our Museum Store, as well as an enduring pride in the community, which enhances every shopper's experience.
Sue Tatosian, Event Coordinator
Sue Tatosian has more than 22 years of experience in organizing events. A well-known community leader in Riverside, Tatosian put her organizational skills to the test, coordinating fashion shows for Steinmart, while simultaneously serving as a community liaison for Inland Empire Magazine. Prior to that, Tatosian established and operated a successful bakery and catering business in Riverside, earning a reputation as one of the most skilled and creative caterers in Riverside County. She has donated a lot of her time, serving on many boards for community and charitable organizations.
Marci Von Furstenberg - Business Manager Ms. Von Furstenberg has a complete background in business management, sales and human resource management. A native of California, she has experience in the Los Angeles area as a stock broker, bank manager and owned her own business as a financial planner before moving to Oregon. There Von Furstenberg was Managing Director for Rogue Opera before moving on to advertising research sales. After her company was bought by a New York firm, she relocated to New York City and continued in management in advertising sales. A Canadian firm hired her to start up their first U.S. office in New York City where she gained valuable experience in startup situations. She then opened another advertising firm in Stamford, CT, before becoming the Controller for the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, CT. Leaving the northeast to come back to California to be closer to family, Von Furstenberg uses the experience she gained to help the Western Center for Archaeology & Paleontology with the necessary detail needed to succeed. | 
