Tara Kohlenberg Receives Chair of the Board Award for Historical Preservation

It is an honor to announce that Tara Kohlenberg has been selected as a recipient of the Chair of the Board Award in the field of Historic Preservation for 2023. This award is designed to honor individuals who have made a significant contribution to the community in a specific field of civic endeavor, and no more than six such awards are bestowed each year.

Born and raised in this community, she is a native New Braunfelser. After graduating from New Braunfels High School, she attended Texas Tech University for a Bachelor of Arts and decided to go back to school at Our Lady of the Lake University where she earned a Master of Arts in Social Work and worked in the mental health field for two decades.

Kohlenberg has served as the Sophienburg Museum’s Executive Director for nearly eight years. During her time as Executive Director, she has helped lead great efforts for the museum and has accomplished incredible milestones, including:

• The Sophienburg Hill Site and the Emmie Seele Faust Library received Texas Historical Commission Historical Landmark and Site designations
• The rebranding of both the Sophienburg Museum and Weihnachtsmarkt, including the trademarking of the bandstand HOME logo
• The expansion of the museum’s booth at Wurstfest
• Through strategic fiscal management allowed all employees to continue to work throughout the year 2020
• The Sophienburg Museum received Texas Travel Award in 2022

She has also served the community on the Comal County Fair Queen committee, Wursfest Heritage Exhibit Committee, Sophienburg Museum’s Exhibits Committee, and the 175^th Anniversary Committee. Lastly, Tara Kohlenberg received the Herald-Zeitung Unsung Heroes Award in 2017.

She is an essential part of our New Braunfels community, and we are happy to have her as one of our Chair of the Board Awardees for 2023.