David Pfeiffer
Director
dpfeiffer@co.johnson.in.us
317-346-4502
David attended Loyola University Chicago and received his Bachelor of Arts in History in 2007. He also had the opportunity to intern at the Museum of Science and Industry while attending Loyola. He then pursued a degree in Public History from Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI), receiving his Master of Arts in 2012, along with a Museum Studies certificate. While at IUPUI, he interned Indiana Historical Society, the Indiana State Museum, and the Chicago History Museum. After two years as an independent contractor for the Great Lakes Naval Museum in Great Lakes, IL, David has returned to Indiana.
Karen Shank-Chapman
Curator
kshank@co.johnson.in.us
317-346-4501
Karen was born in Richmond, Indiana, and moved to Indianapolis in junior high. Karen received her Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology in 2008 from Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (IUPUI). Wanting to learn to care for and interpret artifacts once they leave the archaeology lab, Karen attended IUPUI for her graduate degree in Museum Studies and graduated in 2011. Karen has worked in a variety of museums and historic sites in Central Indiana including the Indiana State Museum, the Rotary Jail Museum in Crawfordsville, The Taylor Center of Natural History in Noblesville, and most recently The Wayne County Historical Museum in Richmond. Karen is excited to help with the preservation and care of the museum’s collection and to spark visitors’ wonder and find their connection to Johnson County History through the interpretation of artifacts and exhibits.
Linda Talley
Genealogy Librarian
ltalley@co.johnson.in.us
317-346-4503
Linda Kelly Talley was born in Johnson County, Indiana. She attended Greenwood Schools and graduated in 1967. Linda attended Indiana State University for 3 years and took a few classes at Franklin College while living in Franklin in the early 1970s. She began working at the Johnson County Museum of History as a volunteer and became the Genealogy Librarian in 1994.
Jane Hughey
Education Coordinator
janehughey11@gmail.com
Jane Hughey is a lifelong resident of Franklin. After graduating from Franklin Community High School, she attended the University of Evansville where she majored in History and minored in English. She received a Master’s Degree in Education from Indiana University. Her goal was to become a high school history teacher. As it turned out, She spent 47 years teaching eighth-grade language arts in the Franklin Community Schools.
Along with students who were going into fourth grade or who had just finished fourth grade, we explored Johnson County History. When her retirement from teaching and Goldie’s move to Wisconsin coincided, she became the Education Coordinator. At last, Jane can teach History!
Kayla McLean
Museum Assistant
kmclean@co.johnson.in.us
317-346-4500
Kayla was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from IUPUI in 2022. Growing up in Indianapolis, she developed a deep passion for museums, often visiting them with her family every other weekend. During her time at IUPUI, Kayla discovered the Museum Studies program, which sparked her interest in pursuing a career in the field. She went on to complete her Master’s in Museum Studies in 2024. Throughout her studies, Kayla had the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of museums, gaining hands-on experience through internships at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum and the Indianapolis Zoo.
Michelle Cataldi
Administrative Assistant
(Tuesday – Thursday)
mcataldi@co.johnson.in.us
317-346-4500
Michelle was born in Chicago, IL, and raised in Hammond, IN. She lived in Las Vegas, NV for nine years before relocating back to the Hoosier state. She worked for the YMCA for several years in both Indiana and Nevada. Her passion is volunteering for the U.S. Military with both active duty military, their families, and veterans. She volunteered for many years on Nellis Air Force Base and with the USO. Her favorite hobbies/activities are spending time at the library, visiting museums, state parks and historical sites. As a lifelong history buff, working at the Johnson County Museum of History has been a dream job!