Historical Project Management

Do you have a great idea but aren’t sure how to make your vision a reality? Can’t spare the staff time to do justice to a special initiative? If it involves the past, I can help. With thirteen years of experience managing historical projects, as well as professional training in project management from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), I can work with your team to clarify the goals and outcomes of the project, identify funding sources, and manage the project from start to finish.

Consulting, Training, Speaking

We can’t be experts in everything. When launching new initiatives, it’s important to gather the appropriate expertise to ensure that work is informed by the latest thinking in the field and done to professional standards. I am available to join your team as an adviser, serve as a peer reviewer, conduct training, or give talks in my areas of expertise, which include:

 Organizational Histories

Too often, during years of heady growth, organizations fail to adequately document their milestones and decision-making processes. This oversight can lead to businesses that are constantly making the same mistakes, failing to incorporate previous experience into strategic planning, or missing the public relations opportunities of significant anniversaries. Working with individual organizations (be they nonprofit organizations, businesses, or community groups), I advise on the ways historical understanding can assist in solving contemporary challenges, tailor projects to fit client needs, then work to uncover the relevant historical information to assist the organization as it moves into the future.

Professional Research

Combining a Master’s of Library Science and a PhD in History with nearly twenty years of experience conducting research, I understand how information is collected and organized. This background allows me to quickly access and assimilate a wide range of information and synthesize it for decision makers. While my specialty is historical research, I also have experience in the social sciences and humanities generally.

Historical Sleuthing

There are situations that require specific evidence. Rather than a broad synthesis of the research on a given topic, as I offer under my Professional Research service, the Historical Sleuthing service goes on the trail of specific pieces of information and emphasizes depth over breadth. While some answers from the past are lost forever, I can offer a comprehensive search for the information and a detailed list of clues that have been investigated.

Oral Histories

The past lives on in the memories of those who have experienced it, and these memories can provide a far richer perspective on the past than can be gleaned from paper sources alone. Professionally trained in conducting oral histories and in human subjects research governed by Institutional Review Boards (IRB’s), I can not only conduct interviews with historical actors, but also ensure that these interviews meet professional and archival standards. I am also available to consult on the proper disposition of these recordings so that they will be preserved for generations to come.

Professional Writing Services

The message matters. But so does the vehicle that conveys that message. As a published author, I have experience writing for a variety of audiences—professional, academic, general interest—and in a variety of media, including books, articles, white papers, pamphlets, blogs, exhibits, and social media. As a supplement to my research services, I offer high-quality writing in the medium of your choice. In addition, I also can provide “clean-up” services, encapsulating others’ research into an easy-to-read format or polishing existing writing by others.