Presenters:

• Levi Fox

  Levi Fox

  

  Levi Fox is a Jersey Shore public historian with a PhD in Public History from Temple University. Dr. Fox has devoted his life to teaching and guiding tours, starting as a guide at Lucy The Margate Elephant, a summer on a trolley in character as Nucky Johnson, and a two-year stint developing a tour program and historic exhibit at the James Candy Factory in Atlantic City. Dr. Fox has been a college professor since 2005 and was honored to win the 2009 Adjunct Teaching Excellence Award at Atlantic Cape Community College. He currently teaches college courses at Temple (Intellectual Heritage), Stockton (General Studies), and Monmouth Universities (History/Anthropology). His favorite audience, however, is the public, like the tour groups he gets to lead through Atlantic City and Ocean City! 

• Jeff George

  Jeff George

  

  Jeff George is a Jersey Shore native as well as a second-generation boat captain and business owner. Jeff’s father started a boat tour business in 1969, and this year, Atlantic City Cruises celebrates its 25th season of operation in the city! AC Cruises is an award-winning company, having received the Best of Press Gold Medal for boat rides from 2014 to 2022. The company offers visitors an opportunity to “sea” Atlantic City from a whole new perspective whether on one of our sightseeing cruises along the oceanfront skyline, the famous 1 pm Dolphin Watching Adventure, or the evening Happy Hour Cruise in the back bays; AC Cruises has a cruise, or four, for you and your family!

Presenters:

• Stephanie M. Hoagland

  Stephanie M. Hoagland

  

  Stephanie M. Hoagland is a Principal and Architectural Conservator with Jablonski Building Conservation Inc. where she has been employed since 2003. She has worked on a variety of conservation projects throughout the United States and Canada including finishes investigations, conditions assessments, and hands-on conservation treatments. Ms. Hoagland was first introduced to the architecture of the Wildwoods when she interned for the Doo Wop Preservation League in the Summer of 2001. She then completed her graduate school thesis on the Conservation of 1950s and 60s Concrete Motels in the Wildwoods. After graduation she worked at ARCH2 in Metuchen, New Jersey where she assisted in the completion of the nomination forms for the Wildwood Shore Resort Historic District and the Motels of the Wildwoods Multiple Property Listing. Ms. Hoagland has a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University with a concentration on materials conservation. She is a Fellow and past Chair of the Architectural Specialty Group for the American Institute for Conservation and is a Recognized Professional with the Association for Preservation Technology.   

• Taylor Henry

  Taylor Henry

  

  Taylor Henry is a lifelong resident of Wildwood. She is President of the Wildwood Historical Society, Vice President of Preserving the Wildwoods: A Community Alliance, and author of the 2018 book Wildwoods Houses Through Time. She was a 2021 recipient of Preservation New Jersey’s Young Preservationist Award. Henry received an MA in writing from Rowan University in 2021 and is a professor in Writing Arts and Journalism at Rowan. 

Moderator and Presenter:

• Donna Ann Harris

  Donna Ann Harris

  

  Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc. Founded in 2004, Heritage Consulting Inc. works with historic house museums and downtown revitalization organizations nationwide. As a preservation planner with more than 35 years of professional experience, Ms. Harris has assisted citizen groups and government agencies to identify appropriate reuses for threatened historic properties that will ensure the long-term preservation and maintenance of the site. In the past 17 years, Ms. Harris has been speaking about and consulting with historic house museums around the country about alternative uses and stewardship responsibilities. AltaMira Press published her book New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America’s Historic Houses in 2007. This title has been the best seller for the American Association for State and Local History since its publication. A considerably expanded and revised second edition was published in November 2020 by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers as part of their co-publishing agreement with the American Association for State and Local History. Ms. Harris earned a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York City, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She holds a BA in American Studies and Art History from the State University of New York at Albany. 

Moderator and Presenter:

• Dorothy P. Guzzo

  Dorothy P. Guzzo

  

  Dorothy P. Guzzo, currently serves as the Executive Director for the New Jersey Historic Trust. The Trust provides matching grants for capital preservation projects and funds heritage tourism initiatives. Prior to the Trust, Ms. Guzzo served as the NJ Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. She was a member of the NJ Heritage Tourism Taskforce, founding member of the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, served ex officio to the NJ Historical Commission and Main Street NJ Advisory Committee and is the former Chair of the Alice Paul Institute. She has held elected office and served on a local planning board and preservation commission.   

Presenters:

• Joseph (Jody) J. Alessandrine, Jr

  Joseph (Jody) J. Alessandrine, Jr

  

  Joseph (Jody) J. Alessandrine, Jr., MPA became Cape May MAC’s Director & CEO in February 2020. Jody previously held Executive Director positions for two Special Improvement Districts (State College, PA and Toms River, NJ) and was the inaugural Director of the former Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Center Foundation. He is also a former municipal administrator and served as a thrice-elected city councilman in Ocean City, New Jersey (1998-2008). Jody also has experience in public education, as well as tourism and casino marketing. Jody was appointed by two governors to serve on the Board of Trustees on the New Jersey Historic Trust and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Values Into Action New Jersey. Jody earned a master’s degree in public administration with a certificate in Public Finance from The Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania. He was also the recipient of the Dr. Stephen B. Sweeney Fellowship at UPenn. His bachelor’s degree is in Communications from Villanova University. Jody and his wife Cheryl live right outside of Cape May City, near the Delaware Bay. 

• Diane F. Wieland

  Diane F. Wieland

  

  Diane F. Wieland has served in county government since 1975, and as Director of the Cape May County Department of Tourism since 1995. She is currently the Chairperson of the Southern Shore DMO, and serves on the Board of the Jersey Shore Partnership, and the New Jersey Travel Industry Association Board. She oversees the Cape May County Division of Culture and Heritage and works with local Arts and History organizations. Diane has earned numerous state and national awards for her innovative marketing campaigns. In 2021 she earned her twentieth New Jersey Tourism Excellence award and the National Association of Counties Achievement Award for Public Relations. She received gold and silver HSMAI awards, and her work has been recognized by the County and Local Chambers of Commerce. Known for her marketing research, Diane has been asked to serve as a speaker and panelist in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Alaska.  

• Jeffrey S. Vasser

  Jeffrey S. Vasser

  

  Jeffrey S. Vasser is a graduate of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration with a concentration in hospitality management, served in key capacities in hospitality companies such as Choice Hotels International, Laventhol & Horwath, and Four Seasons for ten years spanning areas such as food and beverage and development. He moved on to serve as a Senior Consultant with the Public Sector/Gaming and Entertainment Group of Deloitte & Touche having done feasibility studies for tourism, arts and culture, and sports-related clients. From there, Jeff was Chief Financial Officer of Cipriani International, a $60 million hotel, retail, and foodservice firm overseeing areas such as accounting and finance to human resources, facilities, and IT. For 11 years, Jeff served as president of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, overseeing the daily operations of the public authority responsible for two major convention and event facilities, and marketing the destination that anchors the region’s $8 billion tourism industry. From there, Jeff served as CEO of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association based in Miami and most recently was the Executive Director of the Central PA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Currently, Jeffrey is servicing as the Executive Director for the State of New Jersey, Division of Travel and Tourism. Jeff received his Master of Public Administration from Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs, and is a graduate of Atlantic City High School. He resides in Linwood with his wife Angie and two sons, Carson and Zachary.

Moderator and Presenter:

• Lisa Auermuller

  Lisa Auermuller

  

  Lisa Auermuller is the Watershed Coordinator for the Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve in Tuckerton, NJ. In her role at the Reserve, Lisa’s duties include assessing the needs of coastal decision makers and providing relevant and timely training opportunities. These programs are designed to better inform decision makers of the research that is being conducted in the reserve, the competing uses of New Jersey’s coastal zone and the impacts that decisions have on watershed quality. Most recently, Lisa’s primary areas of interest have been in stormwater management, climate change and coastal community vulnerability as it relates to sea level rise. Lisa has been working with a variety of partners to develop tools and protocols to help communities understand their risks, plan for those risks and put adaptation measures into place.   

Presenters:

• Meghan Leavey

  Meghan Leavey

  

  Meghan Leavey is the Lead Planner and Coordinator of the Resilient NJ program in the Bureau of Climate Resilience Planning in the NJ Department of Environmental Protection. She is a licensed professional planner in the State of NJ, a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and a certified GIS Professional (GISP). She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management from the University of Rhode Island and her Master of City and Regional Planning from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University. 

• Stan Slachetka

  Stan Slachetka

  

  Stan Slachetka, FAICP, PP, is a licensed professional planner in New Jersey and member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He also is a member of the Board of Planning Advisors to the New Jersey Planning Officials. His areas of expertise include redevelopment, resiliency planning, affordable housing, and community visioning. He has managed and prepared numerous award-winning planning projects including master plans, vision plans, redevelopment plans, affordable housing plans, transit-oriented plans, as well as zoning ordinances and form-based codes. He is a recognized expert in redevelopment planning and co-author of The Redevelopment Handbook: A Guide to Rebuilding New Jersey’s Communities, published jointly by the NJ Department of Community Affairs and APA NJ. He is a former Chief of Housing Services and Principal Planner for the NJ Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) and has prepared COAH and Court-approved housing elements and fair share plans. Mr. Slachetka received a Master of City and Regional Planning from Rutgers’ Graduate School – New Brunswick (now the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy) and was a Graduate Fellow of the Eagleton Institute of Politics. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Rutgers’ University College – New Brunswick. 

Presenters:

• William Pyontek

  William Pyontek

  

  Bill Pyontek has over 45 years of experience in project management, inspection, structural analysis, design, and construction administration on over 250 bridges, dams, canals and other structures. Bill Pyontek currently serves as the Chief Engineer – Bridges at French & Parrello Associates (FPA), where he applies his decades of experience on a wide variety of projects on the federal, state and local level. His projects have included the rehabilitation and widening of existing bridges and the design of new bridges, culverts, and other highway structures on multi-lane urban and toll expressways (NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway), Interstates, state and local highways (FHWA, NJDOT and PENNDOT), local roadways (various NJ Counties and Municipalities) and railroads (NJ Transit, CSX & SEPTA). He is very familiar with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures. He also has a special expertise in the inspection, design, restoration and rehabilitation of historic structures (wrought iron and steel truss bridges, stone arch bridges, dams, canals and walls), which have included stone masonry and concrete structures that required coordination with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the National Park Service. He received his Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering (BECE) degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ and his Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE) degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, NJ.

• Donald Friedman

  Donald Friedman

  

  Donald Friedman is president of Old Structures Engineering, PC, a structural engineering consulting firm for historic and old buildings, working for owners, preservation consultants, architects, contractors, and other engineers. A professional engineer with over 25 years’ experience in the investigation, analysis, and restoration of landmark buildings, Mr. Friedman holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an M.A. in Historical Studies from the New School for Social Research, and is a licensed engineer in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Virginia. He is certified in the practice of structural engineering by the Structural Engineering Certification Board and is a Fellow of the Association for Preservation Technology and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Mr. Friedman’s design experience includes the integration of modern construction into existing buildings with archaic and obsolete structural systems; repair and restoration of steel, masonry, iron, wood, and concrete structures; and the investigation of historic buildings to determine structural type and condition.

Presenters:

• Kinney Clark

  Kinney Clark

  

  Kinney Clark is a GIS Specialist with the NJ State Historic Preservation Office coordinating cultural resources GIS development and other information management initiatives. He also participates in HPO’s annual federal funding process and in project development and data coordination for the Certified Local Government sub-grant program. He previously worked with the HPO’s Transportation Unit, providing historic preservation review and technical assistance under a variety of federal and state programs. He holds a Masters of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia’s College of Environment and Design, a Bachelor of Business Administration from UGA’s Terry College of Business and completed a Professional Certificate in Geomatics from the Continuing and Professional Education Program at Rutgers University. Mr. Clark also currently serves on the Historic Preservation Advisory Board in Cranford, NJ. 

• Pritpal Bamhrah

  Pritpal Bamhrah

  

  Pritpal Bamhrah is a Planning professional with experience in coastal vulnerability analysis, mitigation, and resiliency projects. With expertise in GIS and keen interest in graphic design, she works on developing decision support tools for policymakers, planners, communities, and students. As a Senior Research Specialist at NJ Climate Change Resource Center, Pritpal leads Climate Corps projects to support municipalities to undertake climate related vulnerability assessments. In the past, she has worked as a Planner and GIS Specialist with AECOM’s Water Resources group where she worked on various coastal risk reduction and management studies for the US Army Corps of Engineers.   

Presenters:

• Victoria Sharp

  Victoria Sharp

  

  Victoria Sharp graduated with honors in May 2023 from Monmouth University, New Jersey, by earning a Master of Arts degree in Anthropology with Certificates in Archaeology and Geographic Information Systems. Victoria is an FAA Certified Remote (drone) Pilot, published writer, and holds a Juris Doctorate from Concord Law School, Purdue University Global. She deploys her skills as a data scientist, AI programmer, GIS cartographer, computational chemist, genetic researcher, and NRHP/NHPA/NAGPRA analyst towards her anthropological and advocacy work on behalf of CRM firms, libraries, historic sites, and museums. Her research concentration is Historical Archaeology, focusing on houses of worship and their graveyards. She has an interest in genetic/molecular anthropology and enjoys working with interdisciplinary teams comprising of CRM firms, artists, architects, municipalities, historians, archaeologists, biological anthropologists, genealogists, and descendant communities toward historic preservation projects and heritage tourism experiences.  

Moderator and Presenter:

• William “Billy” Neumann

  William “Billy” Neumann

  

  Billy Neumann has been working in Historic Preservation and historic programming for 20+ years. He was a 2004 graduate of Drew University’s Historic Preservation Certification Program while he acted as chair of Rutherford’s Historic Preservation Commission, attended to the borough’s Planning Board, and consulted on the town’s Visioning Committee. He is the past chair of Bergen County’s Historic Preservation Advisory Board, and the present Vice Chairman of Preservation New Jersey. He has worked through four successful nominations to the NJ State and National Registers of Historic Places and authored three books on local history. Billy is a popular tour leader and lectures on local history, digital preservation, and professional photography. He is a retired Adjunct Professor of Commercial Photography from the School of Visual Arts in NYC and the third generation to live in (and preserve) his family’s 1870’s farmhouse in the Borough of Rutherford, NJ. 

Presenters:

• David Schure

  David Schure

  

  David Schure brings a strong blend of academic background and professional experience to the field of real estate sales. He studied architecture and decorative arts at Columbia University’s graduate program in Historic Preservation and focused on real estate and marketing in the MBA program at the College of William and Mary. David joined the real estate industry because of his passion for architecture. He later left to work for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and then for the Trenton Downtown Association. He rejoined the firm in 2002 as a full-time Sales Associate. David is the former Chair of the Princeton Township Historic Preservation Commission. Following the merger of Princeton Borough and Princeton Township, David continued to serve on the HPC, which is charged with the responsibility of guiding owners of registered historic properties who are making exterior structural changes. Currently he is Vice-Chair of the commission. More recently David has focused on the needs to recognize and preserve contemporary architecture, particularly mid-century modern.  A book on this topic is in the planning stages. 

• Meg Sullivan

  Meg Sullivan

  

  Meg Sullivan, an experienced Realtor, is a specialist in Antique and Historic Homes along with residential sales and marketing in the Chester, NJ Coldwell Banker Realty Office. Meg’s love of older homes began growing up in her family home in Glen Ridge, NJ which was built in 1865. It had a slate roof, wrap around porch, and 2 fireplaces. After Meg earned her bachelor’s in psychology from Montclair State University, she attended Drew University’s Historic Preservation Program and just earned a certificate from Cornell University’s Historic Preservation and Sustainability Program. Meg and her husband, Joe, work diligently for their clients to have a smooth and successful transaction. They use specialized marketing for vintage homes along with the Coldwell Banker’s global marketing for maximum exposure to the market. One of Top Realtors in Morris County Northern NJ, Meg Sullivan has been a licensed realtor for 31 years, mostly with Coldwell Banker in Chester. Meg is well versed in the Real Estate markets of Morris County as well as Hunterdon, Warren, and Sussex Counties. 

• Virgina “Beth” Harpell

  Virgina “Beth” Harpell

  

  Beth Harpell has been specializing in period properties for over 20 years, and established HistoricHouseHunter.com to provide a dedicated source for homes of character. Through her specialized website, she targets market vintage and historic properties of the history-rich northern New Jersey area. Having enjoyed decades of personal, hands-on experience in preservation while working on three of her own early home restorations, she brings a wide spectrum of knowledge to each situation. Her projects include a c.1790 Colonial Saltbox, a c.1860 Greek Revival Colonial, and a c.1753 Stone Bankhouse with French Huguenot influence that she and her husband saved from demolition and are currently restoring (with its Letter of Eligibility for the State and National Register of Historic Places due to its “extreme rarity of form and style”, according to the NJ State Historic Preservation Office). She’s been featured in publications as an expert in her niché, and her listings have been selected for: County Home Magazine, The New York Times, The New Jersey Realtor Magazine, The National Association of REALTORS®–REBAC Magazine Plus—Listing Featured on The NBC TODAY Show’s Real Estate Segment.  

• Cristiana Peña

  Cristiana Peña

  

  Cristiana Peña is the Director of Social Media for CIRCA Old Houses. CIRCA has the core mission of connecting real estate professionals and homeowners, selling architecturally distinguished and historically-rich old houses to people specifically looking to buy a property with character and craftsmanship. Cristiana has been with CIRCA since its founding in 2013. She brings to her role a rich background in historic preservation, community advocacy and communications. Cristiana is a graduate of Columbia University’s Masters program in Historic Preservation (2008), where she focused on architectural history with an emphasis on documentation and community narrative through oral history. She then worked in community advocacy on New York’s Upper West Side, collaborating with community members to evaluate proposals for work on landmark-designated buildings — from stoop restorations to rooftop additions to ground-up new buildings within historic districts — and advocating for the designation of new properties. This nonprofit work introduced Cristiana to the power of digital media to rally the public around a cause, and she subsequently led the charge on numerous campaigns. She has since worked with numerous other preservation nonprofits, arts and cultural sites, and others to build and foster community. Cristiana recently purchased her first new (old) house, built c. 1782 in New York’s Washington County. CIRCA stands out from so many other real estate-focused social media because all key leaderships have advanced degrees in historic preservation and/or architectural history. The CIRCA website has 2 million monthly pageviews and ensures that its listings speak to the old house lover’s sensibilities which excite them to reach out to agents and learn more.

Moderator:

• Joe Barris

  Joe Barris

  

   Joe Barris, PP, AICP, CFM, is presently the Monmouth County Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development which includes overseeing the County’s Division of Planning, Office of Community Development, Office of Economic Development, the Monmouth County Historic Commission and the Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE) including 4-H.  Much of my time is spent coordinating Department efforts, administering programs, mentoring staff, and improving organizational processes.  He is a founding member of the Freehold Borough Arts Council, former board member and President of Monmouth Arts, the county’s official arts and arts responder agency, ex-officio board member of the Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF), and recently accepted the role of part-time Executive Director of the New Jersey Association for Floodplain managers.   He is a graduate or Rutgers University with a B.S. in Environmental Science and a master’s degree in city and Regional Planning from the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. 

Presenters:

• Kyle DeGroot

  Kyle DeGroot

  

  Kyle DeGroot is a New Jersey native that has learned to understand the dynamic environment that comprises one of the most populous states in the county. His educational path took him to the state of North Carolina, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Urban & Regional Planning from East Carolina University in 2019. Shortly thereafter, he joined the team at the Monmouth County Division of Planning as an Assistant Planner focusing on strategic & long-range planning. Since then, he has now stepped into a new role, assisting with development review operations. Throughout his career, Mr. DeGroot has focused on efficiency and streamlining workflows through the use technology and assorted software programs. 

• Bridget Neary

  Bridget Neary

  

  Bridget Neary is a Senior Planner and Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) at Monmouth County’s Division of Planning.  She is the coordinator of the county’s Community Rating System (CRS) Assistance Program and works on climate change and flood resilience and awareness projects.  Bridget worked for several years as the coordinator for the Monmouth County Cultural and Heritage Byway program and was a member of the Upper Freehold Historic Farmland Byway Committee.  While one of Bridget’s favorite things to do is travel, as a lifelong resident of New Jersey, her favorite places are still here in the state. With her work on the byway programs, she was able to use her love of learning through exploration to assist in the creation of the Monmouth County Cultural and Heritage Virtual Byway Tours. Bridget recognizes the challenges that cultural and historic assets face in the wake of climate change and believes that creative adaptation strategies will be necessary to preserve these assets.    

• Michael Popovech

  Michael Popovech

  

  Michael Popovech is an Assistant Planner with Monmouth County New Jersey, whose work focuses on facilitating the County’s Transportation Planning objectives in step with regional and local transportation initiatives. In his position, he has worked on projects involving electric vehicle charging infrastructure, travel demand management, implementing Complete Streets design, and scenic byways. Michael hails from New York City, is a graduate of Virginia Tech, and is always fascinated by how and why people move from A to B. 

Presenters:

• Patrick Harshbarger

  Patrick Harshbarger

  

  Patrick Harshbarger is Vice President at Hunter Research, Inc., a Trenton-based cultural resources management firm. He currently oversees the firm’s work in historical research, historic architectural survey, interpretive and preservation planning, and industrial archaeology. With more than 35 years of experience, he has worked in 21 states for a variety of clients from federal and state agencies to municipalities and not-for-profits. Although he entered the profession with a background in historic site management and industrial history and is considered a national expert in historic bridges and engineering, his experiences and projects are varied, and in recent years have included those that focus on interpretive planning for historic sites and organizations of various sizes with recommendations for creative techniques to engage audiences with history, including adaptations to incorporate emerging technologies. He has coordinated and overseen the completion of interpretive plans at the local, county and regional levels, including Millstone Township (Monmouth County), Passaic County and the Musconetcong Watershed.   

• Rachel Craft

  Rachel Craft

  

  Rachel Craft joined Hunter Research, Inc. in 2018 as a Historian/Architectural Historian. Rachel has worked on public history projects such as interpretive plans and signage, as well as conducted historical research for architectural and archaeological studies covering a variety of topics and sources. She is a graduate of Rutgers University’s Public History Program (M.A.). Prior to joining Hunter Research, Rachel served as Site Manager for Red Bank Battlefield in National Park, New Jersey, and held positions related to digital publishing through Rutgers University. She has participated in the completion of interpretive plans at varying scales in New Jersey, including those for Millstone Township (Monmouth County), Passaic County and the Musconetcong Watershed. 

Moderator and Presenter:

• Dorothy P. Guzzo

  Dorothy P. Guzzo

  

  Dorothy P. Guzzo, currently serves as the Executive Director for the New Jersey Historic Trust. The Trust provides matching grants for capital preservation projects and funds heritage tourism initiatives. Prior to the Trust, Ms. Guzzo served as the NJ Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer. She was a member of the NJ Heritage Tourism Taskforce, founding member of the Crossroads of the American Revolution Association, served ex officio to the NJ Historical Commission and Main Street NJ Advisory Committee and is the former Chair of the Alice Paul Institute. She has held elected office and served on a local planning board and preservation commission.   

Presenters:

• Amalia Leifeste

  Amalia Leifeste

  

  Amalia Leifeste is one of the two full time faculty members for the Graduate Program in Historic Preservation. She is an architect by training and brings this disciplinary focus to the historic preservation faculty. Specializing within the field of architecture Leifeste earned certificates in both Sustainable Design and Historic Preservation. Her interests in sustainable, contextual design, and the social dimensions of architecture and led naturally to an investigation of preservation themes in the built environment. Her exposure to a wide range of projects while in architectural practice, including remodels and large-scale adaptive use projects, led to her interest in sensitive design interventions within existing buildings. Amalia Leifeste teaches content relating to the history of building construction, building documentation, preservation projects (including HSRs, ruins stabilization, area character appraisals, and sensitive infill designs) and sustainability and preservation. Her research agenda revolves around fostering a sustainable building culture and sees preservation practice as essential to a healthy building culture and ‘cultural sustainability’. Her co-authored book is titled “Sustainable Heritage: Merging Environmental Conservation and Historic Preservation.” In research and through her teaching role she is interested in how we educate practitioners, how place fosters group identity, and in defining how much and what kind of change can keep buildings useful for current needs without erasing essential touchstones of meaning for people who care about their historic places. 

Moderator:

• Alexis Alemy

  Alexis Alemy

  

  Alexis Alemy, MA, is a Historic Preservation Specialist and Archaeologist for the New Jersey Historic Trust. She was previously employed at several cultural resource management firms as an archaeologist and has extensive experience excavating and studying human remains and cemeteries.    

Presenters:

• Gregory Lattanzi

  Gregory Lattanzi

  

  Gregory Lattanzi, Ph.D. is Curator/State Archaeologist for the Bureau of Archaeology & Ethnography at the New Jersey State Museum. Dr. Lattanzi was previously employed at several contract archaeological firms in the northeast participating in excavations in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. He has published several articles, book reviews, and given public presentations. His current research includes the role of copper during the Early to Middle Woodland periods and Middle Woodland Abbott zoned ceramics and their implications on social organization in the Middle Atlantic region.   

• Heather Wholey

  Heather Wholey

  

  Heather Wholey, Ph.D. is an archaeologist with a specialization in the prehistory of the Eastern Woodlands. Dr. Wholey’s interests are in modeling the population ecology of Archaic Period (ca. 10,000 – 3,000 years ago) hunter-gatherers; environmental archaeology and the application of earth sciences to archaeological problems, and the integration of geography, place and landscape into archaeological interpretation. She enjoys working with students in the classroom, field and lab and regularly provides opportunities for guided student research.   

Moderator:

• Caroline Peters

  Caroline Peters

  

  Caroline Peters is a Historic Preservation Associate with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) where she assists with the outreach, marketing, and implementation of the NJEDA’s Historic Preservation programs, such as the Historic Preservation Reinvestment Program and the Historic Property Survey Grant Program. Prior to her position at NJEDA, Caroline served as a Social Scientist for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the ERDC-CERL laboratory in Champaign, Il. Her work in the Cultural Resource Management team allowed Caroline to serve as a Historic Preservation Specialist across the country. She has consulted at sites for the National Cemetery Administration and the United States Armed Forces. Caroline has also received recognition for environmental research reports she has compiled for Tribal Nations. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Political Science from Rutgers University-New Brunswick, and a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University.   

Presenters:

• C. Aidita Milsted

  C. Aidita Milsted

  

  C. Aidita Milsted currently serves as Director of Historic Preservation at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) where she is responsible for the implementation and management of the Historic Property Reinvestment Program and the Historic Preservation Department. Prior to joining NJEDA, she worked at the New Jersey Schools Development Authority (NJSDA) where she served in numerous roles including Director of Vendor Development, managing vendor regulatory processes, and providing training and assistance to vendors seeking NJSDA work, and Program Director, overseeing a multidisciplinary team responsible for management of construction projects. She originally joined NJSDA as Senior Historic Preservation Specialist, through an employment sharing agreement with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and was stationed at DEP’s Historic Preservation Office. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Miami, and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont. 

• Michael Wierzbicki

  Michael Wierzbicki

  

  Michael Wierzbicki is a Senior Project Officer within the Historic Preservation Department at the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). Since joining the NJEDA in the fall of 2021, he has been involved in the development and implementation of the new Historic Property Reinvestment Program (HPRP). In his current position, he is tasked with review of HPRP applications and providing technical assistance with regards to requirements associated with construction management, construction cost estimates and project schedules. Michael has over 18 years of experience in the field of construction management. Prior to joining NJEDA, he worked in the private sector for a general contracting and engineering company where he served in numerous roles including Assistant Manager of Procurement, Project Manager, and Junior Estimator.     

Presenters:

• Roy Plummer

  Roy Plummer

  

  Roy Plummer is a retired human resources professional who has worked for several Fortune 100 companies, with notable accomplishments. Roy is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. He also completed the ROTC program with a commission as Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. He completed his active-duty commitment while assigned as a First Lieutenant with the Korean Military Advisory Group (KMAG) in Pusan, Korea. Although retired, Roy is actively engaged in several volunteer and community service endeavors that include President (currently), Executive Director, and Board Chairman for the Armed Forces Heritage Museum (AFHM), Board member with the Burlington-Mercer Chamber of Commerce, former Board Director at the Roebling Museum, Past President of the Mount Holly Rotary, and NJ Rotary Assistant District Governor. Roy currently resides in Florence Township, NJ with his wife Catherine. They have three children and seven grandchildren. Two of his children and a son-in-law served in the U.S. Navy and Air Force, and the third child is a cyber security fellow with Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Fl. 

Moderator:

• Donna Ann Harris

  Donna Ann Harris

  

  Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc. Founded in 2004, Heritage Consulting Inc. works with historic house museums and downtown revitalization organizations nationwide. As a preservation planner with more than 35 years of professional experience, Ms. Harris has assisted citizen groups and government agencies to identify appropriate reuses for threatened historic properties that will ensure the long-term preservation and maintenance of the site. In the past 17 years, Ms. Harris has been speaking about and consulting with historic house museums around the country about alternative uses and stewardship responsibilities. AltaMira Press published her book New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America’s Historic Houses in 2007. This title has been the best seller for the American Association for State and Local History since its publication. A considerably expanded and revised second edition was published in November 2020 by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers as part of their co-publishing agreement with the American Association for State and Local History. Ms. Harris earned a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York City, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She holds a BA in American Studies and Art History from the State University of New York at Albany. 

Presenters:

• Patrice Bassett

  Patrice Bassett

  

  Patrice Bassett completed both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rutgers University in Camden. She has worked for the City of Camden for 17 years and currently serves as the City Records Manager, Archivist, and Acting Deputy Registrar. With the Clerk, Luis Pastoriza, Patrice has helped to preserve and digitize hundreds of thousands of pages of historic City text. Patrice has designed and implemented several historic displays and led youth focused historic education programming. In 2017, she garnered eligibility from both the New Jersey Register and National Register of Historic Places for Camden City Hall. In 2018, she conceived a project to introduce a standalone historic education kiosk in City Hall. The project has morphed since it’s embryonic stages into the 3-screen flat panel interactive history mural we have installed today. Patrice has worked over the years in collaboration with Camden County Historic Society, Heritage Consulting Inc., and Night Kitchen Interactive to bring this vision alive.

• Valentina Miller

  Valentina Miller

  

  Valentina Miller is the Production Lead at Night Kitchen Interactive. She has launched dozens of digital projects for museums, science centers, and cultural institutions over the past six years and oversees the lifecycle of digital projects from conceptualization to installation. Valentina’s expertise in project management, education, animation, videography, and interactive storytelling allows her to facilitate both client-facing strategic planning and technical problem-solving in a production environment. She focuses on a human-centered approach for designing interactive experiences targeted toward a growing digital-native audience. Valentina is an educator at heart who enjoys sharing new techniques and contributing to conferences and research discussions. Most recently, she was featured in CONTEXT Magazine’s 2021 “Designers You Should Know” article and led a panel about climate change interpretation at The Association of Science and Technology Centers 2022 conference. She teaches Digital Media, Game Design, and Animation courses at Drexel University, and wrote four classes for the Virtual Reality and Immersive Media major. 

Presenters:

• Adam Markham

  Adam Markham

  

  Adam Markham is Acting Director of the Climate & Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. He has a background in international climate policy and biodiversity conservation. He co-authored the UCS report, National Landmarks at Risk, detailing climate impacts on US historic and archaeological sites and was the lead author for the UNESCO/UNEP/UCS report, World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate. In 2019 he was the main contributor on climate impacts for the ICOMOS report, The Future of our Pasts. He has participated in Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) assessments for the Heart of Neolithic Orkney (Scotland) and Vega Archipelago (Norway) World Heritage Sites. Markham is a member of the ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group, the International Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management, and is on the steering committee for the Climate Heritage Network. 

Presenters:

• Katie Humphreys

  Katie Humphreys

  

  Katie Humphreys has been the Registrar for the Morris County Park Commission (MCPC) managing its historic artifact, image, and archival Collections since 2017. She has spent the past 15 years working in public history following time as a public schoolteacher. Her current work focuses heavily on public service –what are the activities of registration, preservation, and exhibition that provide the most value to the public. This focus has led to work ranging from continuing to surface under told stories within the MCPC Collections to exploring the interconnectedness of museum, archival, library, and preservation disciplines, and utilizing holistic planning models for supporting the Collections’ welfare across the MCPC’s diverse holdings and structures. As part of that she has been a key participant in the two phase NEH funded research project, Sustainable Management of Collections Environments with Limited Controls. 

• Melanie Bump

  Melanie Bump

  

  Melanie Bump has worked in the museum field for over 17 years and has been in her role as Curator of Collections and Exhibits for the Morris County Park Commission (MCPC) since October 2014. As Curator, she oversees the management of the MCPC’s over 50,000 artifacts and curates exhibits at historic sites including Cooper Grist Mill, Fosterfields Living Historical Farm, and Historic Speedwell. In 2018 she became the Project Manager for the Sustainable Collections Management of Collections Environments with Limited Controls, overseeing environmental monitoring, preservation management, and strategizing solutions to improve collections storage conditions across 36 structures. Mrs. Bump is a member of the New Jersey Association of Museums Collections Committee and was on the Graphics Design team of the Telling Untold Histories Unconference Planning Committee. Melanie graduated with a master’s in museum Professions from Seton Hall University (2014) and Fine Art degree from William Patterson University and San Bernardino California (2005). She continues to work as a mixed media artist and brings an artistic lens to her curatorial work.   

Moderator:

• Noelle Lorraine Williams

  Noelle Lorraine Williams

  

  Noelle Lorraine Williams is the director of the African American History Program at the New Jersey Historical Commission which includes oversight of the Black Heritage Trail. As a public humanities specialist, artist, researcher, and curator, her work examines the ways African Americans utilize culture to re-imagine liberation in the United States. She is a graduate of the New School for Social Research and Rutgers University – Newark and her work has been profiled in the New York Times, ArtNews, and the Star-Ledger. She is the recipient of the Giles R. Wright Award for contributions to African American History and an award from the National Academy of Design for a mural on Black women suffragists. Her research work on Newark’s nineteenth century African American activism won recognition as one of northeastern New Jersey’s first federally recognized Black underground railroad sites by the Park Service’s National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

Presenters:

• Jimmy Richardson

  Jimmy Richardson

  

  Jimmy Richardson is central to the Huntoon-Van Rensalier Underground Railroad Foundation and placement of the site in Paterson on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom after several attempts. His accomplishments include producing multimedia presentations for corporations and political personalities and developing historical exhibits for the Paterson Museum and the Paterson Library.   

• Linda Shockley

  Linda Shockley

  

  Linda Shockley has been president of the Lawnside Historical Society since 1994 and was among charter members who formed the Society in 1990 when the Peter Mott House, a stop on the Underground Railroad, was threatened with demolition. The Historical Society has conducted tours of the Peter Mott House which was restored and houses an Underground Railroad Museum. The borough of Lawnside is the only incorporated historically African American municipality in New Jersey. 

• Cindy Mullock

  Cindy Mullock

  

  Cindy Mullock is the founding executive director of the Harriet Tubman Museum of New Jersey, in Cape May, which was recognized by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the top 10 anticipated museums in the world for 2020; by USA TODAY Readers’ Choice Awards as the #5 Best New Museums in the U.S. for 2021; and by TimeOut Magazine as one of the most exciting museums in the country to visit. She is also a founding Trustee of the Cape May Point Science Center, a science and climate education center and preservation project, and a Board Member of Volunteers of Legal Service.     

• Deborah Price

  Deborah Price

  

  Deborah Price is the president of the board of directors for the Underground Railroad Museum of Burlington County. The museum was operated in the City of Burlington for several years as a private enterprise by Louise Calloway at a site directly behind a station on the Underground Railroad. The Museum’s exhibits are currently housed in a permanent location on the Historic Smithville Park grounds. The museum offers visitors a visual presentation of the Underground Railroad experience in America, with emphasis on New Jersey and Burlington County where the Underground Railroad flourished before the Civil War.   

Moderator and Presenter:

• Melissa Ziobro

  Melissa Ziobro

  

  Melissa Ziobro is the Specialist Professor of Public History in the Department of History and Anthropology at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ and the director of the University’s public history minor. She began teaching at Monmouth part-time in 2007 before moving into a full-time position in 2015. Melissa has served for many years as the editor for New Jersey Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal; publishes frequently herself; and serves on the board of several non-profits (to include Preservation NJ). She worked as a command historian at the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, NJ from 2004-2011. 

Presenters:

• Staff Sgt. Andrew Walker

  Staff Sgt. Andrew Walker

  

  Staff Sgt. Andrew Walker is the Curator/Director of the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey. He oversees all historical operations for the New Jersey National Guard, including managing two museums located in Sea Girt and Lawrenceville. He took over the position in 2019 and currently serves as a public affairs NCO for the 444th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. He previously served in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard out of Atlantic City. He holds a Master’s in teaching from Montclair State and a Bachelor’s in history from Rutgers. He currently resides in Toms River with his family. 

• John Swartz

  John Swartz

  

  John Swartz has held many different roles at the Keansburg Historical Society and Museum, for many years. He is currently the Historian. He was a key member of the team attempting to rebuild the Museum’s collection after the devastation of Superstorm Sandy. 

• Dr. Tom Herrington

  Dr. Tom Herrington

  

  Dr. Tom Herrington is the associate director of the Urban Coast Institute at Monmouth University and serves as the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium Resilient Communities and Economies Specialist. Dr. Herrington has 30 years of experience in coastal resilience and hazard mitigation research, including the monitoring and analysis of coastal system changes to storm surge and wave impacts, and the analysis of Natural and Nature Based Features for ecosystem restoration and community resilience. Prior to joining Monmouth, Dr. Herrington was the director of the ocean engineering graduate program at Stevens Institute of Technology and the director of the New Jersey Coastal Protection Technical Assistance Service. Dr. Herrington holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering and a MS and Ph. D. in Ocean Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. 

Moderator:

• Donna Ann Harris

  Donna Ann Harris

  

  Donna Ann Harris is the principal of Heritage Consulting Inc. Founded in 2004, Heritage Consulting Inc. works with historic house museums and downtown revitalization organizations nationwide. As a preservation planner with more than 35 years of professional experience, Ms. Harris has assisted citizen groups and government agencies to identify appropriate reuses for threatened historic properties that will ensure the long-term preservation and maintenance of the site. In the past 17 years, Ms. Harris has been speaking about and consulting with historic house museums around the country about alternative uses and stewardship responsibilities. AltaMira Press published her book New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America’s Historic Houses in 2007. This title has been the best seller for the American Association for State and Local History since its publication. A considerably expanded and revised second edition was published in November 2020 by Rowman and Littlefield Publishers as part of their co-publishing agreement with the American Association for State and Local History. Ms. Harris earned a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York City, and a Master of Public Administration degree from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. She holds a BA in American Studies and Art History from the State University of New York at Albany. 

Presenters:

• Ashley Parker

  Ashley Parker

  

  Ashley Parker is a Historic Preservation Specialist for Heritage Tourism and the Communications Coordinator at the New Jersey Historic Trust. She holds a Master of Arts in Anthropology from Monmouth University with a concentration in applied anthropology. She is interested in gathering qualitative data to help strengthen programs and visitor experiences at heritage tourism destinations. In recent years, she has been greatly magnifying the Trust’s outreach capabilities and expanding Journey Through Jersey, the state’s go-to website for all things heritage tourism launched by the Trust in 2017. 

• Lynne Calamia

  Lynne Calamia

  

  Lynne Calamia is a leader in the field of Public History with more than a decade of broad, hands-on experience.  She is committed to building strong, sustainable organizations and uses her expertise in non-profit strategy and management to bring creative solutions to small museums and historic sites. As Executive Director of Roebling Museum, Dr. Calamia has built a strong coalition of staff, board members, volunteers from the community, and donors.  She introduced innovative, mission-driven strategies to prepare Roebling Museum to step up to the next level of organizational development. Lynne has a PhD and MA from Penn State University.  She is a labor historian, and her research focuses on the history of historic preservation and museum building in the early 20th century.  

• Bonny Beth Elwell

  Bonny Beth Elwell

  

  Bonny Beth Elwell is a local historian, author, and editor of history publications in South Jersey. Like most public historians she holds a variety of part time jobs. She is the Library Director at the Camden County Historical Society, where she manages an active archive and research library. Bonny Beth is also the editor of the weekly Elmer Times newspaper, a newspaper that has been published in Elmer since 1885. Through her work with the Camden County Historical Society, Bonny Beth was instrumental in starting the Camden County History Alliance in 2016 and edits their biannual 44-page local history magazine, each issue is distributed to 10,000 people. She also coordinates the annual Camden County History Month held each October. Bonny Beth has published two books and countless articles on local history. Her books are Upper Pittsgrove, Elmer, and Pittsgrove, published by Arcadia Press, in 2013, on the history of eastern Salem County; and 18th Century Documents of Pittsgrove Presbyterian Church from 2016. As a volunteer Ms. Elwell serves as President of the Greater Elmer Area Historical Society, Vice President of the Genealogical Society of Salem County, a board member of the Salem County Historical Society, and a member of the Salem County Cultural and Heritage Commission. 

• Rachael Goldberg

  Rachael Goldberg

  

  Rachael Goldberg is the Executive Director of Liberty Hall Museum, Gardens, and Arboretum, one of New Jersey’s premier historic tourism destinations. Rachael’s career in museums began at Liberty Hall in 2008. She was originally hired as a museum educator to conduct daily public tours, work with school children and assist in producing special events. After working as a museum educator for a year, Rachael was promoted to the museum’s Coordinator of Collections and Exhibits. Her role was to begin the daunting process of inventorying the museum’s extensive collections and creating exhibitions that interpreted the collection for contemporary audiences. Rachael’s other duties included overseeing the museum’s archival building, which is the home of the historic document and object collections. When the former director left the museum for a new job opportunity, Rachael was selected to replace him.  She has been Liberty Hall’s Executive Director since 2019 and oversees the daily operations of the museum. Rachael received a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of Rhode Island as well as a Master of Arts in American History from Monmouth University.  n 2013 she completed Drew University’s Historic Preservation certificate program and is currently completing her Executive MBA at Rider University. 

Presenters:

• Jennifer Janofsky

  Jennifer Janofsky

  

  Jennifer Janofsky, Ph.D. is the Giordano Fellow in Public History at Rowan University and the Director of Red Bank Battlefield Park. Janofsky earned her doctorate from Temple University where she studied early American history and public history. At Rowan University she teaches classes in public history, American material culture, and directs the internship in history program. At Red Bank Battlefield Park, Janofsky directs park interpretation, public programs, and educational initiatives.    

• Wade P. Catts

  Wade P. Catts

  

  Wade P. Catts, MA, RPA is the President and Principal for South River Heritage Consulting, LLC. He is a Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA) specializing in history, archaeology, and historic preservation. He earned his graduate degree in American History from the University of Delaware. His conflict archaeology experience focuses on Revolutionary War sites and battlefields, including Brandywine, Bennington, Cooch’s Bridge, The Battle of the Hook, Hubbardton, Princeton, Short Hills, and Stone Arabia/Klock’s Field.   

• Thomas A. Crist

  Thomas A. Crist

  

  Thomas A. Crist, Ph.D. is the Harold T. Clark, Jr. Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and Anatomy at Utica University in New York.  Dr. Crist earned his doctorate in Biological Anthropology from Temple University and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences.  He has been a forensic anthropologist with the United States Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team for more than 25 years and conducted numerous bioarchaeological projects throughout the United States. Dr. Crist directs an annual forensic anthropology/bioarchaeology field school in Albania and Romania and is the author of more than 100 professional publications and cultural resources reports.   

• Anna W. Delaney

  Anna W. Delaney

  

  Anna W. Delaney, M.A.  is the New Jersey State Police Forensic Scientist. Delaney began her career with the New Jersey State Police Office of Forensic Sciences in 2004. Over the years, Anna has worked in the Mitochondrial DNA Lab, CODIS DNA Lab, and has supervised the Forensic Anthropology Unit since 2017. Anna specializes in human osteology, odontology, non-human comparisons, skeletal trauma analysis, excavations, and exhumations. She provides training to Law Enforcement Agencies throughout New Jersey and is a guest lecturer at several Universities. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida’s Distance Learning Program. Anna also populates the NamUs database with information on New Jersey’s Unidentified cases, modifies NCIC records for missing and unidentified, and assists the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit with retrieval of medical and dental information. Anna works closely with Forensic Odontologists, Medical Examiner’s Offices, and local, state, and federal agencies. 

Presenters:

• Ekamon Venin

  Ekamon Venin

  

  Ekamon Venin is a two-term councilman for the Borough of Pompton Lakes. He currently serves as Chairman of the Finance and Personnel Committee and is liaison to the Planning Board and Historic Commission. Ek has continually served as Council Liaison to the Historic Commission since 2017. He has collaborated on various initiatives to, “safeguard the heritage of Pompton Lakes by preserving the resources within the Borough which reflect its cultural, social, economic, and architectural history.” Outside of his role as Councilman, Ek is a 23-year employee of UPS. His current position is as a Product Owner in Corporate Industrial Engineering, responsible for a handful of globally used package delivery systems. He is married and is the father of two girls. In his spare time, Ek enjoys photography and studying martial arts. His entire family studies Isshin-Ryu Karate, his wife and girls are brown belts; Ek is a 1st degree black belt and assistant instructor. 

• Laura Jennings Pitt

  Laura Jennings Pitt

  

  Laura Jennings Pitt joined the Pompton Lakes Historic Commission in 2017 in the prestigious position of “Second Alternate”. The creation of the Pompton Lakes Historic Guide was one of her first undertakings, but certainly not her last. Today, Laura serves as the Chairwoman of the Commission and oversees all the Commission’s volunteer initiatives in town including walking tours, participation in the annual Pompton Day Celebration, and is actively working with her members to secure space for a local museum. The goal of the Commission is to preserve and share local history by making it accessible and engaging. Laura believes historic preservation adds value to our community and provides benefits that will impact future generations.  In addition to serving as the Chairwoman, Laura is a professional fundraiser, entrepreneur, avid runner, and local children’s author. She self-published her first literary work, The No Truck Tow Truck, in 2021 and has built a stable local following for her writing. She aspires to write a children’s book about the history of Pompton Lakes.  

Moderator:

• Sam Stephens

  Sam Stephens

  

  Sam Stephens is a Trenton resident of 40 years and served on the Trent House Association board of trustees since 2013and as treasurer since 2015. Beginning in June 2022 he began as interim director for the Association, which manages and operates the 1719 William Trent House Museum for the City of Trenton. As trustee and now as staff, Stephens led the Association’s work in expanding its interpretation of the Museum site, heading up projects on colonial slavery, Lenape history and contemporary life, the Great Migration, and Trenton’s industrial development and immigration. He also directs NJ Historic Trust-funded projects that developed a site-wide plan for preservation and interpretation, are designing interpretive signs for the Museum grounds that highlight the full range of human experience on and around the site and will soon undertake a major capital improvement project replacing the HVAC system in the historic house. Stephens holds a Bachelors in sociology from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and Masters and Doctorate degrees in sociology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. 

Presenters:

• Hannah Lee

  Hannah Lee

  

  Hannah Lee (they/them) holds a bachelor’s degree in history and peace & justice studies from Loyola University Maryland. They are currently pursuing a master’s degree in public history at Rutgers-Camden and interning with the William Trent House in Trenton, NJ to investigate the history of the section of the home’s neighborhood that was displaced by the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex. They created a database that details the demographic data of every census-reporting neighborhood inhabitant between the years 1880 and 1950. The data shows new information about the changing demographics of the neighborhood as Russian Jewish and, later, Black populations moved into the neighborhood, which will help expand Trent House’s historic narratives. Besides working with Trent House since spring 2021, Hannah has three years’ experience working in archival processing and more than five years’ experience conducting historical research. Their final research project for the degree explores the rich relationship between scientific racism and visual imagery during the antebellum period, which focuses on how visual imagery used in contemporary public spectacles and visual culture, like illustrative magazines and specialized science books, fueled the dissemination of scientific racism.