Rowena Houghton Dasch, Ph.D.
Executive Director, rhdasch@nchmuseum.org
Rowena Houghton Dasch has led the Neill-Cochran House Museum as Executive Director since the end of 2013. She holds an M.A. and a Ph.D. in American Art from the University of Texas at Austin and an A.B. in Art and Archaeology from Princeton University. Her work at the NCHM encompasses all aspects of the Museum’s operations, the historic property’s preservation, and the creation and management of the Museum’s active schedule of rotating exhibitions. Dr. Dasch’s current work focuses on the site’s 2-story Slave Quarters, including her collaborative publication with Dr. Tara Dudley, Reckoning With the Past: Slavery, Segregation, and Gentrification in Austin (2021).
Marisol Cacho
Business and Programming Director, mcacho@nchmuseum@org
Marisol Cacho is the Business and Programming Director at the Neill-Cochran House Museum. She holds a B.A. in Art History from The University of Texas at Austin, with a focus on Arts Management and Administration, French Studies, and Italian Studies. Marisol also holds a master’s degree in International Arts Management from Southern Methodist University and HEC Montréal. With experience at other arts and cultural organizations around Austin, Marisol is passionate about museum programming, community engagement, and creating meaningful connections between cultural institutions and their Austin communities.
Lilly Bruner
Communications Manager, lbruner@nchmuseum.org
Lilly Bruner handles communications and social media for the Neill-Cochran House Museum. Originally from Fort Worth, Lilly received her B.A. in Humanities from the University of Texas at Austin. Her passion for historic preservation began here in Austin, where she lived at the historic New Guild Co-op while attending UT. Lilly worked for the State Preservation Board before joining the Neill-Cochran House Museum in 2026.
Alison Bogle
Development Officer, abogle@nchmuseum.org
Alison Bogle joined the Neill-Cochran House Museum in October 2026 as the Development Officer. Alison is a life-long Austinite, writer, and nonprofit professional with a passion for education, community, and connecting people and organizations in ways that bring them a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Now at the Neill-Cochran House Museum, she brings her experience in fundraising, communications, education, and community engagement to an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing Austin’s history. Alison looks forward to connecting with you to find the perfect way for you to connect with our visitors and support the mission of the Neill-Cochran House Museum.
Gene E. Heard
Museum Facilities Manager
A native of Detroit, Michigan, Gene Heard has overseen all aspects of the historic and contemporary buildings at the Neill-Cochran House Museum since 2007. In addition to installing all of our exhibits, refinishing collection furnishings, and designing and building a new display in the 1855 dependency, he is the master of the five separate breaker boxes, the six air-conditioning units, the countless sets of keys, the multiple kitchens and bathrooms, as well as the landscaping crews, installations, and sprinkler system. In short, NCHM simply cannot function without his attention. Look for him here and at Chateau Bellevue, where he also oversees maintenance operations and leads guided tours.
Join Our Team!
Interested in an internship?
Send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to Executive Director Rowena Dasch at: rhdasch@nchmuseum.org. The writing sample does not have to pertain to museum studies or historic preservation, but should be between 1 and 2 pages long.