INDEPENDENCE HALL ASSOCIATION WELCOMES DR KELLEY FANTO DEETZ,
FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ITS 80-YEAR HISTORY
FIRST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN ITS 80-YEAR HISTORY
Independence Hall Association announces the appointment of Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz as our new Executive Director. This appointment represents the first time in its 80-year history that the organization, first launched in 1942 to establish Independence National Historic Park, has hired an Executive Director.
Dr. Deetz comes to IHA with a wealth of experience in public history, non-profit leadership and fundraising. With three decades of experience, she was a founding board member of the The Nate Parker Foundation where she helped secure support from the Ford Foundation and W.K. Kellogg Foundation to develop the HBCU Storytellers program. Most recently, she served as the CEO of History, Arts, and Science Action Network (H.A.S.A.N.) and as Vice President of Collections and Public Engagement at Stratford Hall Historic Preserve, where she expanded and transformed the interpretation and public programming to reflect a more holistic history.
Deetz is passionate about making historical content engaging to people, young and old, and will lead plans to expand the offerings through USHistory.org as well as develop additional resources for historical engagement via the Independence Hall Association:
"I am excited to lead the IHA into its next chapter. USHistory.org has been a foundational resource for decades, and the potential to grow exponentially is boundless. I look forward to developing new virtual offerings, including programs, and digital content, as well as cultivating financial support to ensure that we remain a trusted resource for historical knowledge. I want to inspire people to be excited about history, to want to learn and engage with the stories of the past. Instilling a love of historical knowledge can help us all be better citizens, and ultimately a better nation."
Deetz holds a BA from The College of William & Mary and an MA and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley. Deetz is a historian and archaeologist specializing in 18th and 19th century social and cultural history. She is the author of Bound to the Fire: How Virginia's Enslaved Cooks Helped Invent American Cuisine (2017), and you can find her most recent work in Audible's The Great Courses on the history of sugar.
"We decided for the longevity and vibrance of the organization, it was time to hire a dedicated leader to drive funding and oversee the further development of ushistory.org," said James Cassano, Chairman of the IHA Board of Directors, "I am excited for the future of the IHA under her leadership -- of what's in store, especially with the launch of Women'sLives/American History Time Traveler."
The Independence Hall Association (IHA) was founded in 1942 to spearhead the creation of Independence National Historical Park. Today the IHA through its website ushistory.org is one of the preeminent providers of online US history, from the pre-colonial era to the present. We are proud to be used as source material in hundreds of public, private and home schools in the US and abroad. The IHA seeks to educate and motivate an informed citizenry that can shape the future.
The IHA is a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation which is exempt from federal income tax as a public charity under Sections 501 (c) (3) and 509 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Association is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors.
To learn more visit Independencehallassociation.org
