The challenge
As Virginia prepared for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, organizations across the Northern Neck were planning events, programs, exhibits, and other projects tied to the commemoration. The Northern Neck 250 Coalition brought together museums, historic sites, local governments, tourism organizations, and community partners, but coordinating that many organizations across a large region was a challenge. The group needed someone who could keep projects moving, make sure partners stayed connected, and help turn a shared vision for the commemoration into actual programs and events.
What I did
Beginning in 2024, I served as project manager and a central point of contact for the Northern Neck 250 Coalition. I organized Steering Committee meetings and follow-up, coordinated projects involving multiple partner organizations, supported marketing and the NNK250 website, assisted with grant writing and reporting, and managed the Road to Revolution interpretive signage project. I also worked closely with Stratford Hall and regional partners on major public programs, including the Discovery Symposium, Speaker Series, and Virginia Resolved, which became a Virginia 250 Signature Event. As the commemoration moved toward its conclusion, I also helped the coalition plan for what would come next and prepared a detailed handoff guide to make sure the relationships, projects, and institutional knowledge built during the 250th were not lost.
Outcome
Over the span of the commemoration, NNK250 grew into a strong regional network that produced public programs, interpretive projects, and large-scale events across the Northern Neck. The first Speaker Series drew more than 350 attendees across five programs, the 2024 and 2025 Discovery Symposiums brought together 200 participants, and the 2026 Virginia Resolved event welcomed thousands of people from around the country and included the naturalization of 50 new U.S. citizens. Most importantly, I helped the team plan the framework that will keep this coalition of 50 museums, historic sites, tribes and government organizations working together beyond the 250th to strengthen their collective work and encourage regional tourism.
