Center Leadership

Faculty Leadership

The distinguished professor of history and environmental social sciences, Zephyr Frank, serves as the director of The Bill Lane Center for the American West. Frank succeeded the Center's Spence and Cleone Eccles Family Director, Bruce Cain.

Zephyr Frank

Director of the Bill Lane Center for the American West, Professor of History in the School of Humanities and Sciences, Professor of Environmental Social Sciences in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, Gildred Professor of Latin American Studies, Professor, by courtesy, Iberian and Latin American Cultures, Senior Fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment

zfrank@stanford.edu

History

Zephyr Frank assumed the position of faculty director for the Bill Lane Center for the American West on September 1, 2025. He is a professor of history, a professor of environmental social sciences, and a senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. He is also the former director...

Center Staff

A small core administrative staff supports the Center's daily work to advance undergraduate education, academic research, and journalism of the American West. Also see our researchers, fellows, and joint project staff.

Kate Gibson

Associate Director

kvgibson@stanford.edu

Kate joined the Bill Lane Center for the American West in April 2021. In her capacity as associate director, she manages the Center’s programming, development, finances and administration. Kate has deep roots in the West, and cares deeply about its communities, its culture and its ecosystems.

Prior to joining the Lane Center, Kate...

Center Leadership

Faculty Leadership

Zephyr Frank

Center Staff

Kate Gibson

Lydia Hailu

Felicity Barringer

Esther Conrad

Kylie Gordon

Tina Lathia

Geoff McGhee

Corinne Thomas