Currently, my main gig is directing the Museum Studies Program at the University of Delaware. But over the last 25 years, I’ve helped produce exhibits, programs, and planning documents for community organizations, museums, and academic programs on three continents, ranging from historic houses to sports associations, civic engagement centers, and the Smithsonian. A selected list is below. Email me if you think my experience can help with your current project!
-Project Director for Upending 1620: Where Do We Begin?, an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History about the myths and legacies of the Mayflower landing, co-curated with representatives of the Mashpee Wampanoag community and founders of the National Day of Mourning. (open Aug 2021-Sept 2022)
-Lead Curator for pre-1900 content in Entertainment Nation, a major long-term exhibition at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History exploring how commercial entertainment has been an arena for debating politics throughout U.S. history. Besides object selection, label writing, and design contributions, led extensive visitor testing for media installation covering history of minstrelsy, and outreach to Indigenous communities and families connected to Wild West Show performers. (opening Fall 2022)
-Lead Curator, Made By US, a six-year initiative (2020-2026) with over 80 museum partners nationwide to encourage younger generations to apply history to their civic engagement.
-Organized and helped secure funding for Omeka-based internal collection catalog at Musée des Civilisations, the national museum of Côte d’Ivoire, as part of Fulbright Scholar appointment. (2015-2017, photo above)
-Led strategic planning for the Center for the Study of Democracy, an NEH-funded civic engagement and history programming initiative jointly run by St. Mary’s College of Maryland and Historic St. Mary’s City. Plan shifted the Center’s programming emphasis from passive lectures to grant-funded experiential learning. (2014-15)
-Education Content Developer and Lead Evaluator for Calvert Marine Museum’s IMLS-funded aquarium redesign, focusing interpretation on climate change. Oversaw production of school program content as well as front-end, formative, and summative evaluation of design and interpretation. (2013-15)
-Project Lead for Historic Sotterley’s IMLS-funded interpretive plan. New tours and content focused on slavery and labor history, and resulted in 20% visitation increase, new partnerships with African American community organizations, and coverage in the Washington Post. (2010-11)