Catherine Mägi hired as new executive director of Cook County Historical Society

The Cook County Historical Society will begin the new year and its centennial anniversary with a new executive director.  

On Jan. 9, the Historical Society announced it had hired Catherine Mägi as its new executive director. The position had been vacant for nearly four months since the former executive director, Katie Clark, resigned on Sept. 15, 2024. Aliya Marxen, the gallery manager at Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, served as interim director during the transition period.

Mägi started her professional career as a lawyer in Washington D.C. before changing her trajectory towards her passions, writing and history, the Historical Society said in a release. She worked as a writer and researcher for a nonprofit partner that supports Harpers Ferry National Park, which was her home for over a decade and is located at the juncture of Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Catherine Mägi | Cook County Historical Society Executive Director

Mägi also managed an archive near the Antietam National Battlefield. Other notable accomplishments include serving four years on a tri-county heritage tourism board, participating in the U.S. 250th Anniversary planning commission, and advising county officials on historic preservation concerns in the face of modern development, the release said.  

“Throughout these experiences, I was mentored by impassioned preservationists. I came to understand that preservation is not merely saving objects; it is unlocking, protecting, and connecting human stories,” Mägi said. “I am humbled to be joining Historic Cook County during its centennial year. I look forward to working with our staff, board, volunteers, and community partners to craft special experiences that spark interest in our past and hope for our future.”

Kalli Hawkins January 10, 2025