Trail Advisory Council Appointed

Date: October 29, 2013

Annapolis, MD -- The National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office announces the appointment of 23 members to the Star-Spangled Banner National Historic Trail Advisory Council.Members of the Council, appointed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, will consult with the Secretary and the National Park Service on matters related to the trail, including trail development, public access, recreation opportunities, and educational programs along the trail route.

Bill Pencek will serve as chair of the Advisory Council.Mr. Pencek is Deputy Assistant Secretary, Division of Tourism, Film, & the Arts, Maryland Department of Business & Economic Development, and also serves as Executive Director of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.

Council members will serve two-year terms. The State of Maryland, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the District of Columbia are represented on the council as are non-governmental organizations.

"Advisory Council members will focus on the legacy of the trail as the bicentennial period draws to a close in early 2015," said Mr. Pencek. "With expertise in heritage tourism, community development, and conservation, members of the council will help implement a trail that teaches, engages, and benefits communities for the long-term."

Per Chuck Hunt, Superintendent of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Trails program, "We appreciate the willingness of these talented individuals to assist with trail development and management in a way that helps Americans forge enduring connections with this important chapter in our nation's history."

Members of the Advisory Council are as follows:

Joyce Baki is the Tourism Specialist for the Department of Economic Development in Calvert County Maryland.Ms. Baki has over 15 years of tourism experience having previously worked for the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Convention and Visitors Bureau.Ms. Baki is a member of the Southern Maryland Heritage Consortium, the War of 1812 Regional Advisory Committee and the Chair-elect of the Maryland Destination Marketing Organization.Ms. Baki received the Maryland Tourism Person of the Year award at the Governor's Conference on Tourism in 2006.

Carol Benson is the Executive Director of Four Rivers: The Heritage Area of Annapolis, London Town & South County.Ms. Benson has over 10 years experience in heritage tourism, marketing and stewardship education.She has also worked for the Maryland Humanities Council.Ms. Benson holds a Ph.D. and a Master of Fine Arts from Princeton University and a Bachelor of Arts from Oberlin College.

Jeffrey P. Buchheit is the Director of the Baltimore National Heritage Area.He has served as the Assistant Director and the Coordinator for the Museum Assessment Program while employed by the American Association of Museums.Mr. Buchheit is the former Director of the Historical Electronics Museum.Mr. Buchheit received a Master's in Public Administration from Southern Illinois University.

Joseph (Jay) Doyle is Community Development Project Manager for the Baltimore County Department of Planning.In his current position, Mr. Doyle initiates and supports capital projects that emanate from agency-endorsed plans or emerge as community development priorities.Mr. Doyle has previously served on the Byway Advisory Committee, a subcommittee of the Star-Spangled Banner NHT Advisory Council.He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications from Towson State University.

James R. Foster is president of the Anacostia Watershed Society where he leads the organization's goals of reducing stormwater volumes to the river, and working to make the river fishable and swimmable. Mr. Foster has over 30 years of hands-on technical expertise dealing with aspects of environmental management and consulting including: water quality management, environmental management of properties, site inspections and assessments, remediation, training, permitting, and compliance audits.Mr. Foster is focused on resolving water quality issues at the source, reducing trash, and controlling runoff of rainwater from developed sites through advocacy, education, and stewardship activities.

Elizabeth Hughes is Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer and Deputy Director of the Maryland Historical Trust.In this capacity, she oversees development of program policy and legislation and oversight of all Trust programs, including the work of the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum.Ms. Hughes has served on the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers Board since 2004. She earned a Master's Degree in Architectural History from the University of Virginia and a Bachelor's Degree in American Studies from Georgetown University.

Lisa Hull is Tourism Coordinator for the Northern Neck Planning District Commission whose mission is to assist with the planning and economic development for four counties in Virginia's Northern Neck region.Ms. Hull holds a Bachelor of Arts from Duke University and a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University.

Kathleen Kilpatrick has served as Director of the Department of Historic Resources and State Historic Preservation Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia since February of 2001. Ms. Kilpatrick serves as a Trustee of Virginia's two national heritage areas, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation and the Journey through Hallowed Ground. She is also an advisor to the Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.

J. Lance Mallamo is the Director of the Office of Historic Alexandria (VA).Mr. Mallamo is responsible for full administration of heritage services provided by the City of Alexandria, VA, including the Archives and Records Center, operation of seven city-owned museums and the public history and archaeology programs. He is the past co-chair of the Long Island North Shore Heritage Area (LINSHA) Planning Commission and past chairperson of the LINSHA Management Plan Committee.

Aaron Marcavitch is Executive Director of Anacostia Trails Heritage Area.Mr. Marcavitch has over 10 years of experience in creating and maintaining community-based partnerships.He is vice-chairman of Prince George's County Committee on the War of 1812.Mr. Marcavitch holds a Bachelor of Science in Historic Preservation from Roger Williams University and a Master of Arts in History from Middle Tennessee State University.

Kim Nielsen was appointed Strategist for the Museums and Collections Division of the Naval History and Heritage Command in November 2009. In this position he is responsible for strategic planning for twelve national museums in the Navy Museum System, system coordinator for Navy-wide programs, including commemorations and social media, coordination for Navy Museum System realignment and division directives review.Under Mr. Nielsen's management the Navy's official service museum saw outstanding growth in exhibits, community outreach and programs, and attendance as the only military museum in the Nation's Capital.Mr. Nielsen has dedicated over 30 years to a career as a museum professional, cultural historian, and preservationist.

R. Anthony Nolan serves as Interpretation and Conservation Division Chief, Natural and Historical Resources Division for the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission. Mr. Nolan oversees the management of the Natural and Historical Resources Division with direct oversight of program and facility operations. Mr. Nolan has 17 years of experience providing leadership in park operations management, historic and natural resource management, and programs.

Christopher Peace represents the Virginia House of Delegates' 97th District, which spans parts of Hanover, King William, and all of New Kent County. He is in his fourth term. Mr. Peace received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hampden-Sydney College and earned his law degree from the University of Richmond.Mr. Peace is the chairman of the Advisory Council for the War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.

William J. Pencek, Jr. is Executive Director of the Maryland War of 1812 Bicentennial Commission.Mr. Pencek is the former Director of Cultural and Heritage Tourism for Maryland and serves on several advisory boards including: Friends of Fort McHenry, Star-Spangled Banner Flag House Association, and Baltimore Heritage, Inc.Mr. Pencek holds a BA in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

Brigitte Peters is the Tourism and Marketing Manager for the Office of Tourism and Marketing in Havre de Grace, MD.Ms. Peters is a member of the Harford County Tourism Advisory Board, the Maryland Tourism Council and the Maryland Municipal League.She also serves on the board of directors for the Harford County Cable Network.

Roslyn Racanello is Executive Director of the Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium, a nonprofit organization promoting heritage tourism through advocacy, partnerships, fundraising and membership.Ms. Racanello has extensive marketing experience and has won the Governor's Award for Cultural Heritage Tourism from Maryland's Office of Tourism Development.She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from SUNY College at Buffalo.

Alex Romero is the Superintendent of National Capital Parks-East and has over 20 years of federal service with management and oversight responsibilities.Under his current purview, he manages several locations that fall along the Star-Spangled Banner NHT. He holds a Bachelor of Science from SUNY at Old Westbury.

Sonal Sanghavi is Director of the Office of Environmental Design for the Maryland State Highway Administration.She directs various programs encompassing environmental compliance, mitigation and stewardship.This includes wetlands and waterways permitting, landscape design, scenic byways and recreational trails programs.Ms. Sanghavi has over 15 years of experience in water resources and environmental engineering.

Kristin Saunders is Assistant Secretary for Land Resources for the State of Maryland.Ms. Saunders has over 20 years of experience in state government holding various management and leadership positions.She manages over 500,000 acres of public recreation and conservation land holdings including Parks, Forests and Wildlife Management areas. Ms. Saunders holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore.

Christopher Shaheen is Public Space Program Manager for the District of Columbia Office of Planning.Mr. Shaheen has over 20 years experience in planning and historic preservation.He holds a Master of American Studies with a concentration in Historic Preservation from George Washington University.

Francis Taylor is the chair of the Baltimore County War of 1812 Advisory Committee.He also serves as the chair of the North Point Heritage Greenway, as North Point Peninsula Council Vice President and is a member of the Baltimore County Historical Society.He is retired from the United States Postal Service.

Cathy Thompson is the Community Planning Program Manager for the Department of Planning and Growth Management in Charles County, Maryland.She has also worked as a historic preservation planner.Ms. Thompson holds a Master of Arts from Western Kentucky University.

Kirsti Uunila is Historic Preservation Planner for Calvert County, Maryland.Ms. Uunila has over 20 years of experience in archeology, anthropology, heritage tourism and preservation planning.She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arizona and a Master of Applied Anthropology from the University of Maryland at College Park.