Dr. Sarah Ann Burgos has led the Museum of the Virginia National Guard since 2017, and now heads the design and planning of the new public museum campus at Waller Depot in Richmond. 

Her guiding philosophy is to tell your history with you, never for you.  She does so by prioritizing firsthand memories and experiences from veterans, military personnel, and civilians—both contemporary and historical—to help the museum reflect Virginians’ unique perspectives on America’s past, present, and future.

Bloomsbury recently published Dr. Burgos’ chapter, “A Rose-Colored Reunion: Craft in White Civil War Veteran Reconciliation,” in Craft and War: A Global Anthology.  In 2023, Brill published her chapter, “Reproductions Without an Original: The Self-Published Aesthetics of Cold War–Era Copies,” in the volume Documentary Aesthetics in the Long 1960s in Eastern Europe and Beyond.

She began her Master’s Degree at New York University before transferring to Virginia Commonwealth University to complete that degree and her Ph.D.

Madison Stafford brings together a deep respect for human stories and a vibrant artistic vision.  While studying Anthropology at Wake Forest University, she trained under the exceptional team at the Lam Museum of Anthropology—completing multiple internships, collaborating on exhibitions, and helping develop public programs that brought artifacts to life.  She then sharpened her creative voice at the Maryland Institute College of Art, earning a Master’s in Illustration.  Fueled by a passion for preserving heritage and sharing knowledge, Madison is eager to infuse her creativity, attention to detail, and museum‑honed expertise into her role as the Museum Registrar.