Professional Appointments

Executive Director,
Ipswich Historical Society and Museum

Key accomplishments:

• Managed daily operations of 1890 organization comprising two historic house museums, two art galleries, changing exhibits gallery, extensive collections, archive and library, with an annual budget of $119,000.

• Oversaw all marketing and public relations activities, attracting steady media attention.

• Increased museum visitation fivefold from the previous year.

• Planned and hosted regular public activities, some in collaboration with nearby communities or other organizations, including monthly lecture series, brown bag lunches, and special events including "Ipswich in the Founding Years" and "Tales from the Sea" story telling; attendance regularly broke records; program partners benefited; other communities followed our model of collaborative programming; for "Ipswich in the Founding Years," a five-part series of programs designed to investigate and celebrate the town's founding, secured the congratulations of HM British Consul-General in Boston, Mr. John Rankin.

• Developed and implemented successful fundraising campaigns, including collateral materials for Annual Fund, special project grants, and capital needs; administered ongoing and new grants; secured first-time funding from North of Boston CVB, Ipswich Cultural Council, and Ipswich Rotary Club; renewed corporate funding for annual lecture series.

• Developed and implemented successful new member and renewal campaigns; 2005 set the record for new members.

• With Board President and fundraising consultant, participated in the early planning stages of a multi-year capital campaign.

• Wrote and published a regular newsletter.

• Redesigned and wrote text for new website.

• Wrote a first-time brief history of the Society.

• Brought significant attention to the Society's Arthur Wesley Dow collection (one of the nineteenth- century "Ipswich Painters") including media, local tourism agencies, and museums; assisted Dow collection manager with two exhibits, "The Cyanotypes of Arthur Wesley Dow" (2005) and "Arthur Wesley Dow of Ipswich (2006), in conjunction with the Peabody Essex Museum's exhibit "Painting Summer in New England"; designed and published "Arthur Wesley Dow in Ipswich" walking trail brochure.

• Worked closely with the Peabody Essex Museum in 2006 to maximize attention for the Society's Dow collection during the PEM's blockbuster exhibit "Painting Summer in New England" (which included two of the Society's works by Dow).

• Improved existing room displays and exhibits; raised housekeeping standards; updated and improved docent manual and interpretive tour; hired and trained docents.

• Created new "Ipswich Female Seminary Room" and "Children's Room" at the Heard House Museum in 2005; in 2006, at the Whipple House Museum, created "Ipswich Historical Society Room" about the Society's founding (1890), the saving of the Whipple House, and the Colonial Revival.

• Played leadership role in Ipswich Tourism Committee; helped define marketing efforts for new shuttle bus; served on Ipswich Planning Board's economic and tourism development committee.

• Asked to serve on the North of Boston CVB board and the Historical Records Council of the Essex National Heritage Commission; featured speaker at ENHC 2006 semiannual meeting and May 2006 "Archives Alive!" workshop.

• Organized North Shore and Cape Ann historical societies and historic houses museums into a consortium to share ideas, information, and resources; received praise from Boston Globe North.

• Assisted the Board of Trustees in their ongoing pursuit of professional management and museum practices.

• Worked closely with Building Committe to identify and rectify building issues; initiated scientific paint analysis of Heard House.

• Continue to serve as a consultant to the President of the Board.