AZELA SANTANA

Executive Director | Orange County Regional History Center & Historical Society of Central Florida

For Azela Santana, history isn’t something dusty and remote—it’s something we live. “Each of us has our own personal story, and storytelling is a powerful way to connect people,” she says. An important thread of her own story begins in the 1970s when the U.S. Navy recruited her father, a Filipino citizen, starting her family on the path to a new life in the United States. A Florida native, she grew up with deep appreciation for her heritage and a belief that “each of us carries such a story, beautifully unique yet connected to others in ways that bind us together.”

The museum Azela leads in the heart of Orlando—the Orange County Regional History Center—provides a vital space for the connections between us. It’s Central Florida’s largest and most expansive history museum, covering more than 14,000 years in four floors of exhibits, and has been recognized by notable organizations including the American Association for State and Local History, the Florida Historical Society, and the American Alliance of Museums. It’s one of only twelve museums in Florida affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution.

To her leadership of the History Center, Azela brings rich experience in fostering community collaborations. She previously served as director for advancement at the University of Central Florida’s College of Arts and Humanities. In 2022, her efforts to build strategic partnerships were recognized with the University’s inaugural UCF Advancement Core Values Excellence and Partnership Award.

Earlier in her career, Azela held multiple leadership positions at the Orlando Museum of Art, where she championed award-winning exhibitions including “Florida Prize in Contemporary Art” from 2014-2016. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in studio art and art history from the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Phoenix; her professional affiliations include the American Alliance of Museums, the Association of Art Museum Curators, and the Association of Latino Professionals for America. In leading the History Center, Azela invites everyone to reflect on their own stories while learning from the stories of others, so that together, we can all create a strong legacy for generations to come.

65 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801 | 407-836-8595 | TheHistoryCenter.org