Johnny Gordon is originally from the California Mojave Desert and a proud member of the Chemehuevi Band of Southern Paiute (Nuwu/Nuwuvi). He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Museum Studies at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe in 2022 and was hired on to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to reorganize and rehouse the Dent and Folsom archeological collections.
His experience in the collections at Lake Havasu Museum of History and the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture has allowed him to refine his expertise in indigenous collections care management. Johnny aspires to foster co-stewardship collaborations through inclusion with tribal nations represented in DMNS’ Anthropology Collections, museum professionals, and the greater public. In particular he strives to evince knowledge pertaining to basketry originating from California, Southwest, and Great Basin tribes.