Sam Garcia
La Mesa,CA
Summary
Visitor Services professional with proven record of successfully leading large, diverse teams of staff and volunteers and overseeing dynamic frontline guest services operations for prominent non-profit cultural organizations. Passionate advocate for staff and volunteers, committed to fostering a culture where team members feel valued, supported and inspired to perform at a high level in service of the institution’s mission and strategic goals.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Interim Senior Manager of Visitor Services
San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego, CA
02.2026 - 07.2026
- Successfully recruited and onboarded six new team members.
- Motivate staff to perform at their best to ensure a high caliber visitor experience.
- Report on daily attendance and revenue data; collaborate with senior staff on exhibit development, public programming and enhancements to accessibility and wayfinding.
Sales & Service Assistant Manager
UC San Diego Parking & Commuter Services
La Jolla, CA
07.2025 - 02.2026
- Successfully recruited, onboarded and trained over thirty new team part time student employees.
- Oversaw frontline customer service and sales team responsible for answering calls and responding to inquiries regarding parking policies, citations, and permit sales.
Customer Experience Manager
UC San Diego Library
La Jolla, CA
02.2023 - 07.2025
- Successfully recruited and onboarded two new full time career staff.
- Promote a welcoming, inclusive environment for staff and library patrons ensuring a high caliber of service for the two million annual visits from students, faculty, staff and public.
Director of Visitor Services
United States Capitol Visitor Center (CVC)
Washington, D.C.
05.2022 - 02.2023
- Led the largest CVC Division with a diverse team of 120 responsible for providing public tours of the art, architecture and history of the Capitol for over 2 million annual visitors.
- Effectively communicated organizational vision and mission to inspire staff and foster a visitor centric mindset to ensure every guest has a safe, positive, memorable experience.
- Served as the principal point of contact for Congressional offices, ensured Members of Congress, their guests, and distinguished visitors were accommodated appropriately.
- Oversaw VS support for Congressional ceremonies, tours, wayfinding, theater operations, public programs, mobility shuttles, ticketing and reservations.
- Successfully led the VS team through a phased resumption of full onsite operations.
- Collaborated with other CVC Division Directors across programmatic areas including interpretation, budget, communications and retail to plan and execute agency goals.
- Built coalitions with internal and external partners including Capitol Police to ensure staff training and compliance with all security protocols.
- Managed the relationship with AFSCME Local 658 Union leadership to promote a spirit of cooperation, respect and common purpose with over 100 represented frontline staff and ensure management’s adherence to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
- Served on the Management team with Architect of the Capitol’s General Counsel and Labor Relations negotiating a new CBA contract with AFSCME Local 658 Union leadership.
Director of Guest Services
Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
La Jolla, CA
05.2014 - 04.2022
- Directed the Aquarium’s Visitor Services and Membership unit responsible for ensuring a safe, welcoming and memorable experience for over 500,000 annual visitors.
- Led and inspired a diverse frontline team responsible for gate operations including reservations and ticketing, database administration, membership sales and fulfillment.
- Prepared and managed the annual budget, strategic plan and special projects.
- Oversaw sales, fulfillment, renewals and events for over 10,000 member households.
- Supported programming and collaborated on the creation of new revenue generating visitor experiences including Behind the Scenes Tours.
- Contributed to the development of a guest experience training program recognized by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and emulated by other local cultural institutions.
- Served as the Birch representative on the campus ADA Title II Advisory Committee.
- Oversaw onboarding, training and supervision of all volunteers in guest facing roles.
Practice Manager
Lifespan Therapy Services
Santa Fe, NM
08.2010 - 04.2014
- Served as the primary point of contact for all referrals, arranged appropriate specialist placement, safeguarded patient confidentiality ensured continuity of care.
Associate Director of Visitor Services & Volunteers
American Museum of Natural History
New York, NY
03.2008 - 07.2010
- Oversaw daily operations of the Museum and Hayden Planetarium which receives 4 million annual visitors and total departmental revenue of 35 million dollars.
- Led a large and diverse team of over 150 staff and department managers for visitor services, responsible for ticketing, reservations and the volunteer program.
- Directed the Volunteer Program comprised of over 750 active volunteers responsible for delivering tours, educational programs and information services to the public.
- Identified and implemented improvements to recruitment, training and retention.
- Cultivated employee and volunteer recognition programs.
- Expanded accessibility programming with the development and implementation of Science Sense, a verbal description and touch tour program for blind and visually impaired visitors which received a Title II Public Service Award.
Education
BA - History, City & Regional Planning
UC Berkeley
05.2000
Skills
- Volunteer program oversight
- Recruitment and staff mentoring
- Team leadership and development
- Cultivating strong partnerships
- Project management expertise
- Conflict resolution expertise
Professional Development
- UC People Management Certificate
- Managing Implicit Bias
- Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Campus
- UC Women’s Initiative Alum
- Inclusive Manager’s Toolkit
- Fundamentals of Labor Relations
Timeline
Interim Senior Manager of Visitor Services
San Diego Natural History Museum
02.2026 - 07.2026
Sales & Service Assistant Manager
UC San Diego Parking & Commuter Services
07.2025 - 02.2026
Customer Experience Manager
UC San Diego Library
02.2023 - 07.2025
Director of Visitor Services
United States Capitol Visitor Center (CVC)
05.2022 - 02.2023
Director of Guest Services
Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
05.2014 - 04.2022
Practice Manager
Lifespan Therapy Services
08.2010 - 04.2014
Associate Director of Visitor Services & Volunteers
American Museum of Natural History
03.2008 - 07.2010
BA - History, City & Regional Planning
UC Berkeley