2026 Chesapeake Gateways Annual Partner Meeting

The 2026 Chesapeake Gateways Annual Partner Meeting is scheduled to take place in Charlottesville, VA on February 11th & 12th.

The annual partner meeting is the keystone technical assistance activity of the network to provide in-person assistance to Chesapeake Gateways network members. The technical assistance meeting is for network members and is expected to include 150 public and private sector participants.

This year’s theme, “America’s Story Begins in the Chesapeake,” honors the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a momentous occasion to reflect on the past and plan for the future as connect people to the rich heritage, natural beauty, and authentic experiences of the Chesapeake region. We will be offering 18 workshop-style sessions over two full days in four topical tracks:

• Community-Driven Placemaking for America at 250 - Prepare your organization/community to activate the power of place by connecting local voices to our nation’s history; it begins right here in the Chesapeake.

• Revolutionary Ideas for Economic Development - Explore innovative partnerships that boost local economies and tourism while promoting the Chesapeake’s natural and cultural treasures within public access and outdoor recreation sites.

• Sharing America's Story through the Chesapeake Gateways Network - Learn from the inspiring work being done in education, interpretation, conservation, and recreation as we unite as a network to steward and connect people to the beauty of America’s largest estuary.

• Foundations and Futures for Sustainable Organizations - Frame a bold future for your organization with proven strategies to strengthen capacity, unlock funding, and amplify community impact.

Please register to attend through our form as soon as possible, as space is limited.

2026 Chesapeake Gateways Annual Partner Meeting
February 11-12, 2025
(Optional site visit days on February 10 & 13)
Omni Charlottesville Hotel
212 Ridge Mcintire Road, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903

Upon registration, you will receive a confirmation email with the hotel reservation link, should you choose to stay overnight during your trip to Charlottesville (be advised, our reserved-rate block of rooms is only available through JANUARY 8, 2026).

2026 Chesapeake Gateways Annual Partner Meeting Agenda

Track 1: Community-Driven Placemaking for America at 250

Prepare your organization/community to activate the power of place by connecting local voices to our nation’s history; it begins right here in the Chesapeake. 

America at 250 Roundtable

Wednesday, February 11 at 10:45 a.m.  

Get the tea on state level efforts to put local communities on the map and share your own plans for 2026 in this extended question and answer session.   

Moderated by Laura Messer, Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Tourism Destination Planning for America at 250: Building Unique Communities

Wednesday, February 11 at 3:15 p.m.  

With a little creativity, multidisciplinary programming can be a tool for community building, explore real examples and tools to apply in your own community. 

Presented by Michael Steen, Waterman’s Museum, Yorktown, VA 

New Directions in Living History: Immersive Storytelling

Thursday, February 12 at 10:45 a.m. 

Living history has come a long way since 1976. Immerse yourself in this theatrical performance that breaks the fourth wall on first-person interpretation.  

Presented by Shemika Renee of Ms. Story’s Living History 

Beyond the Anniversary

Thursday, February 12 at 1:30 p.m.

Learn how to turn big commemorations into lasting strategies that keep your community engaged, your partners invested, and your visitation growing long after the spotlight fades.  

Presented by Heidi Schlag, Culture Link Communications.  

Track 2: Sharing America's Story through the Chesapeake Gateways Network

Learn from the inspiring work being done in education, interpretation, conservation, and recreation as we unite as a network to steward and connect people to the beauty of America’s largest estuary.  

From Local Roots to Regional Reach: Leveraging Network Collaboration for Placemaking and Growth

Wednesday, February 11 at 1:30 p.m. 

Turn pathways into journeys using collaboration, shared branding, and cross-sector partnership strategies to boost visitation and strengthen community identity for successful placemaking. 

Presented by Jim Blackwell, Seaford Museum & Nanticoke Heritage Byway, and Dan Parsons, Sussex County. 

The Life, Near-Death, and Re-Birth of the Mifflin Farm

Wednesday, February 11 at 3:15 p.m. 

Explore the power of community action, adaptive reuse, and visionary planning to transform rural sites into vibrant cultural tourism assets that blend recreation, interpretation, and economic revitalization in communities.  

Presented by Peter Miele and Mark Platts, Susquehanna National Heritage Area

Transforming Space to Cultivate Connection

Thursday, February 12 at 9:00 a.m.

Even the most unassuming places can become powerful platforms for stewardship, preservation, and deeper connections between people and nature within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Join this conversation on placemaking and community between Andrea Rocchio and Claudia Moncada-Wireman from The Mariners’ Museum & Park, and Rachael Dickey Gilde and Danielle Fisher from Masonville Cove Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership.  

Stories on the Water: Creative Storytelling for Place, People, and Preservation

Thursday, February 12 at 1:30 p.m. 

Spark curiosity through practical storytelling! Engage with experienced storytellers to build community belonging and inspire long-term stewardship by connecting people and media to the Chesapeake’s rich heritage, history, and natural beauty. 

This panel will feature immersive experience experts Everett Landon, Experience Smith Island; John Potvin, Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse; and Will Smith, James River Batteau Company, and will be facilitated by Heather Ersts, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County.   

Track 3: Foundations and Futures for Sustainable Organizations

Frame a bold future for your organization with proven strategies to strengthen capacity, unlock funding, and amplify community impact. 

Planning for the Unknown: Risk Management

Wednesday, February 11 at 10:45 a.m. 

Explore how proactive planning and practical risk-management strategies can help institutions prepare for the unpredictable and build greater long-term resilience.  

Presented by Sultana Education Foundation staff and Charles Bennett, City of Hopewell. 

HOPE 101: An Introduction to the Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences Framework

Wednesday, February 11 at 3:15 pm 

Discover how to strengthen the individuals and families you serve by using a practical, science-based, strengths-focused method called the Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences (HOPE) framework.  

Presented by Jill Ferris, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum 

Building to Implement: Key to Success

Thursday, February 12 at 10:45 a.m. 

Learn strategies for sparking interest in joint initiatives, building lasting partnerships, and sustaining momentum from idea through implementation.  

Presented by Susan Elks, Gateway Forward; Heather Ersts, Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, and Dwayne Patterson, Director of the Division of State Parks for North Carolina (ret) 

Designing Tourism Experiences

Thursday, February 12 at 1:30 p.m. 

Understand the building blocks of designing great tourism experiences, and how places can intentionally design tourism for both visitors and residents alike.  

Presented by Simon Jones and Lily Herbert, NatureScapes and TourismWORKS. 

Track 4: Revolutionary Ideas for Economic Development

Explore innovative partnerships that boost local economies and tourism while promoting the Chesapeake’s natural and cultural treasures within public access and outdoor recreation sites.  

Blue Ridge Hills and Hollows: Building Place-Based Gravel Cycling Routes

Thursday, February 12 at 9:00 a.m. 

Take practical steps through hands on learning to transform local landscapes and stories, strengthen rural economies, and enhance heritage tourism in your own community.  

Presented by David Landis, Village to Village Trails; Chris Ridder, Charlottesville Albemarle CVB; and Alan Yost, Greene County Economic Development and Tourism.

Beyond the Landmarks: Illuminating Lesser-Known History with Podcasts and Itineraries

Wednesday, February 11 at 10:45 a.m. 

From idea to airtime, delve into the development of the podcast “Founding Footprints” and its successes and challenges in generating visitor engagement.  

Presented by Carla Mullen, Charlottesville Albemarle Convention & Visitors Bureau; Nathan Moore, WTJU 91.1 FM; Will Smith, James River Batteau Company, Sabrina Combs, CACVB 

Charting the Course: Heritage Interpretation and Water Recreation

Thursday, February 12 at 10:45am 

Paddle the river, power the economy - examine how recreation, heritage, and public access connect to expand economic development and start your own journey for your community. 

Presented by Alana Jajko, Susquehanna Greenway Partnership and Mark McLaughlin, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. 

State Historic Preservation Officer Roundtable

Wednesday, February 11 at 1:30 p.m. 

Discover how State Historic Preservation Offices can help you act in preserving important historic places in your community.  

Presented by: Meredith Dreistadt, WV SHPO, Austin Walker, VA SHPO, Martha Waldron, MD Historical Trust, Elizabeth Rairigh, PA SHPO

Network Benefits Workshop

Put your network benefits to work! This interactive workshop will explore opportunities to utilize network benefits. This session will be offered twice as a non-track alternative session for all attendees and will be facilitated by the NPS Chesapeake Gateways Communications and Visitor Experience team.

Wednesday, February 11 at 1:30pm & Thursday, February 12 at 9:00am 

Optional Site Visits

We have connected with several incredible organizations throughout Charlottesville to host optional site visits before, during, and after the Annual Partner Meeting, highlighting and providing a specialized viewpoint of local efforts in conversation, preservation, interpretation, outdoor recreation, and more!

Please fill out the interest form to indicate your interest in attending any of the following optional site visits. Attendees are responsible for their own travel to/from the site visits.

Sanjay Suchak/Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau

Tuesday, February 10 in the afternoon

Rivanna Restoration at Riverview Park, 1-2 p.m.

The Rivanna Conservation Alliance will host an afternoon site visit at Riverview Park to highlight a large restoration project to enhance public access to the Rivanna River. Come see and hear more about the Riverview Restoration Project and how their team has worked to reconnect a city to its river—restoring native habitats and eroding riverbank while adding new trails and areas for river access and viewing.

Jefferson School African American Heritage Center, 1-6 p.m.

The Jefferson School African American Heritage Center is home to a permanent historical exhibit and rotating contemporary art gallery, and serves to honor and preserve the rich heritage and legacy of the African American community of Charlottesville-Albemarle, Virginia. Located in the Jefferson School City Center (across the street from our venue), they will be open on Tuesday from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. for visitors to tour their exhibitions and gallery (admission required to view the gallery).

dairymarketcville

Wednesday, February 11 at 6 p.m.

Welcome to Charlottesville

Come along for an evening gathering at the Dairy Market, an award-winning adaptive reuse market hall that breathes new life into the 1937 Monticello Dairy building, an iconic community landmark, located within walking distance of the Omni Hotel. NPS Chesapeake Gateways will lead a walking group from the hotel to the Dairy Market.

Food and beverage will be available for purchase and remarks will be provided by NPS Chesapeake Gateways and local Charlottesville and Albemarle County representatives.

Zach Phillips/Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors Bureau

Friday, February 13 at 10:00 a.m.-1:15 p.m.

Monticello Tour & Panel*

Experience Thomas Jefferson's Monticello. This special visit will begin with a visit to the historic mountaintop, including a 45-minute highlights tour of the historic home. Following the tour, participate in a one-hour meet-and-greet panel with members of the Monticello team, who will share their approach to interpretation and preservation at one of the nation's most compelling historical and cultural destinations—and preview their plans and priorities as they prepare for America's 250th anniversary.

Panel with Monticello team to include:

• Steve Light (Vice President for Education and Guest Experience)
• Gardiner Hallock (Senior Vice President for Preservation and Operations)
• Brandon Dillard (Director of Historic Interpretation and Audience Engagement)
• Daniel MacCreery (Trails and Natural Lands Manager)
• Sarah Jencks (Civic Partnerships Fellow)

*Tickets will be provided, advance purchase not necessary. Sign up required in advance of this site visit, as we have a limited number of spaces available.