Quick Chat: Thea Thompson

Meet Thea Thompson, the newest member of the APT development team! Thea has done her fair share of world traveling and we're simply delighted that she's decided to return back to the area. Read this week's Quick Chat for more about Thea, her family farm, and her list of favorite museums we should all check out.

APT: Hi, Thea! Welcome to Quick Chats! How are your first couple of weeks going?
Thea Thompson: Fantastic! I have such fond childhood memories of trips to APT - this has felt like a homecoming. Everyone has been simply amazing and welcoming. I am so proud to be a part of APT.

APT: We’re so excited to have you on the APT team! Can you tell us a little more about your new position and what you’re looking forward to most?
Thea Thompson: I am joining Michele, Annie, and Beatrice on the amazing development team. I started working in the development field about 10 years ago and have found this work rewarding and so much fun. My role is to facilitate and advocate for meaningful connections between our donors and the work we do here. I have only been here for a few weeks and I have already experienced the kindness, generosity, and joy of APT’s supporters. It is inspiring and energizing!

My absolute favorite part of my position is connecting with donors to say thank you and hearing about their love and enthusiasm for APT and the art created here. I am looking forward to meeting our wonderful supporters in person next summer!

APT: You’ve done some really awesome world-traveling! Tell us a little bit more about your journey to APT!
Thea Thompson: I grew up on a dairy farm outside of Hollandale, WI (about 25 miles south of Spring Green) so this part of Wisconsin is my home, but I did want to explore the world a bit. I went to college first in Madison and then in England, focusing on anthropology, art history, and archaeology. I spent four wonderful years in England and was able to travel around Europe and Scandinavia. After I finished my degrees, Wisconsin called me back - we live in a very special part of the world and it was time for me to come home. I spent nine years in Door County at the Ephraim Historical Foundation and then the last three years at The Nature Conservancy. I was offered my role at APT this fall and was so happy to return to southwestern Wisconsin as a member of the APT team. I really have come full circle!

APT: Okay, tell us about the farm!
Thea Thompson: The farm is my happy place! My family has cared for the land since the mid-1850s. After my father retired from farming, we turned our focus to conserving the land. It has been remarkable to see how fast nature can recover with some care and attention. The fields and pastures of my childhood are now pollinator prairies and oak savannas - I love being there with my family and friends and our labrador puppy, Ole.

APT: What do you like to do in your free time?
Thea Thompson: I am a bit of a homebody, so I love being on the farm (of course!), being out on the prairies, reading, crocheting, and spending time with my family (including four-legged ones) and friends, and tending to my many, many houseplants. I also love to travel, meet new people, and spend all the time I can in museums.

APT: Wild Card Question: With your background in history, can you give us your definitive top 5 museums everyone should visit?
Thea Thompson: The top museum everyone should visit is their local museum. It is vitally important for each of us to learn the stories of the people who came before us, be it 25 years ago, 250 years ago, or 2,500 years ago.

I am sure I would give a different answer every time I am asked, but here are some truly great museums (this list is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination!):

The Field Museum (Chicago)
National WWII Museum (New Orleans)
The Louvre (Paris)
Gotlands Museum (Sweden)
Borg on Lofoten and the Viking Ship Museum (Norway)