Meet Our Executive Director, Ariel Reker

Ariel Reker is the Executive Director of Baker City Downtown. Originally from a rural community in Southwestern Minnesota, she moved to Baker City in 2022.

Reker received her undergraduate degree in 2016 from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, where she double majored in Archaeology and Public History. During her studies, she interned with the South Dakota State Historical Society and put together an exhibit for the 75th anniversary of Mt. Rushmore. Reker co-founded two major public history projects in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin; the two projects, “[art]ifact: where history meets art” and, “Hear, Here,” were wildly successful. As part of her archaeological studies, Reker also spent a summer excavating a medieval cemetery in Transylvania.

Following her undergraduate degree, Reker pursued a master’s degree in Heritage and Museum Sciences at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. As part of her degree, she completed an internship at the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City. Then, after graduation, she completed another internship at Baker Heritage Museum and started working at Crossroads Carnegie Art Center.

Reker joined Baker City Downtown as Executive Director at the beginning of 2023. The opportunity interested her after attending various BCD events and speaking with board members about opportunities for growth within the organization.

Using her leadership experience, education, and community connections, Reker is excited to help Baker City Downtown fulfill its mission and commitment to the community.