Officers
Xenia Dieter is board chair. She moved to Truckee in 2020 to take on the role of Adult Literacy Coordinator at the Truckee Library. With a background in teaching English as a Second Language, Adult Basic Education, and Spanish to learners of all ages, she is deeply passionate about working with underserved communities, particularly economically disadvantaged children. Her experience extends to nonprofit work, where her focus has been on fostering educational growth and supporting creativity in young minds. Joining the KidZone Museum board aligns with her commitment to promoting educational access and nurturing curiosity. She looks forward to contributing her skills to further the museum’s mission and ensuring all children have the opportunity to learn, explore, and thrive.
Shana Wapstra Scott is the board vice chair. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and has extensive experience with youth programs. Shana moved to Truckee with her husband Eric in 2000. They have three kids, ages 14 to 20. The KidZone Museum played a vital role in their growth and development, offering a place for playful discovery and community connection. As a board member, Shana is excited to be in the position to help the Museum thrive and reach other families in the Truckee-Tahoe region. Shana and Eric are Museum Visionary Circle Members.
Christina Baker, board secretary, has a deep passion for child development. Her journey began at the Children’s Museum of Denver, where she served as an educator, overseeing the outdoor education exhibit and program. With a degree in Elementary Education from Wheaton College, she later became a teacher at the Logan School for Creative Learning in Denver. After the birth of her daughter, she founded a tutoring company before relocating to Truckee. Now, Christina is thrilled to contribute to the vital mission of fostering creative play for children in the Tahoe-Truckee community. Christina is on the Campaign Committee.
Joan Zappettini is the board treasurer and chair of the finance committee. She moved to Truckee in 2014 to serve as the Director of Human Resources for the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District (TTUSD). She has a teaching credential and a masters in educational leadership and has been a school principal and teacher for many years prior to her role at TTUSD. Joan wants to ensure that our collaborative partnership with the school district stays strong and that our education strategies inspire a life-long love of learning for our children. Joan is the Museum representative on the Truckee Tahoe Airshow & Family Festival Planning Committee. Joan is a Museum Visionary Circle Member.
Leanna Jacuzzi is the governance chair and on the finance committee. Leanna has been a full-time resident of Truckee for nearly 30 years. She worked for Tahoe Forest Hospital as a clinical dietitian for 20 years, specializing in diabetes for the last five years. She currently teaches nutrition at Sierra College. The KidZone Museum was an invaluable resource for Leanna and her children growing up. Leanna is excited to be a part of the planning process for the future of the Museum.
Directors
Chris Arth, MD, has dedicated 45 years to pediatric practice in Truckee. His wife, Christine (Chris), a seasoned early childhood educator, continues to delight children with puppet shows at KidZone Museum. Chris served as Chief of Staff at Tahoe Forest Hospital three times and was a member of the Executive Committee for a decade. He’s also been active on the Glenshire Homeowners Board. With a keen interest in preventative health, vaccines, and mental wellness, he’s passionate about organizations like KidZone Museum that foster creative free play and provide a safe, enriching environment for children. He is part of the Campaign Committee to ensure the museum is here for future generations of children.
Victoria Bocking Ferris was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she began her educational journey in communications. Life brought her to Lake Tahoe, California, where she started her career in staff management and development and met her husband. For the past 15 years, Victoria has worked in social services and health equity, driven by her passion for diversity and inclusion, as well as bridging language barriers in our community.mTogether with her family, Victoria has enjoyed the museum for years and looks forward to making it even more accessible for everyone in the community.
Andrea Forker’s relationship with KidZone started in 2016, when she thought it would be a good idea to solo-parent her 2-year-old son in Truckee for a summer, with her husband driving up from San Francisco on weekends to join the family. KidZone was a haven where her son was fully engaged in creative play, and mom could take a much-needed break. Now Andrea enjoys KidZone with her second son and is honored to have the opportunity to help the organization in its next stage of growth. Prior to her Board service, Andrea had a 17-year career on the business-side of major cultural institutions in New York City and San Francisco. She held leadership roles in museum development, marketing, and operations, including working for nearly a decade at the California Academy of Sciences. Andrea has her certificate in High Altitude Gardening from the Denver Botanical Garden and is currently pursuing graduate studies in Landscape Design. She loves hiking, skiing, gardening, interior design and building things with her husband, Dean, an architect. Andrea is on the museum Campaign Committee.
Meagan Millar is chair of the Table Captain Team. She moved to Tahoe from New Hampshire after graduating with a BA from St. Lawrence University in the fall of 2004. She came for the skiing, but soon fell in love with the Northern California climate, recreation, and people, including her now husband, Jon. They have three children, Liam, Ryan and Delaney. As a new mom, the museum was an important resource for Meg to connect with other families in the area. As a board member she intends to sustain and expand this resource to reach more families and kids in the North Tahoe-Truckee region.
Suzanne Montgomery moved to Truckee in 2013 with her husband and two college-age children. Born and raised on the San Francisco peninsula, she ventured to Southern California to pursue a degree in drama from UC Irvine. As a philanthropist with a passion for community service, she has held several officer positions on various nonprofit boards and looks forward to helping the KidZone Museum reach its full potential in the Truckee/Tahoe community. Suzanne is a member of the Museum Exhibits Committee and is chair of the Campaign Planning Committee. She and her husband, Scott, are Museum Visionary Circle Members.
Larissa Swalander is on the finance committee. She has lived in Truckee for over three decades with her two children and husband. She is a wealth management banker at the local branch of US Bank. Her experience in the financial industry started in 2016 and she became a Wealth Management Banker in 2019. Larissa was on the KidZone Museum board when the museum was founded. Now that her kids are older, she came back to make sure the museum her children loved so much is here for future generations.
