Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Appoints Christy Coleman As New Executive Director

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Dec 17, 2019, 12:36 ET

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As the newly appointed Executive Director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF), Christy Coleman will lead the state agency and its iconic U.S. historical sites in developing the next generation of educational programs and visitor experiences.

Coleman is a respected commentator and authority on the cultural and educational importance of museums and historical places for diverse audiences.

Christy Coleman, Newly Appointed Executive Director at Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation

Speaker M. Kirkland (Kirk) Cox, chairman of the JYF Board of Trustees, said, "As a dynamic, proven leader in the museum field, she will help ensure that our programs and exhibits align with the educational needs of today's young people and are relevant and appealing to the visiting public."

Senator Janet Howell, vice chairman of the JYF Board of Trustees, noted the history-making significance of Coleman's appointment. "She is the first woman and the first person of color to hold this role, and we're really looking forward to how she will use her unique experience to tell inclusive narratives on a global stage," Howell said.

As the new executive director, Coleman will succeed Philip G. Emerson who retired after leading the foundation for 28 years. Coleman is proud to succeed Emerson and to build on the major advances achieved during his tenure.

"The leadership of this place has been committed to doing things the right way and it has received many well-deserved accolades. My goal is to work in partnership with JYF's board, staff, donors, volunteers and diverse stakeholders to build on this strong foundation and to continue to tell powerfully relevant history that is inclusive and compelling," Coleman said.

"Telling the many stories of early Virginia in a way that is not only innovative and engaging, but accurate and complete, will be a high priority for Christy Coleman," predicted Chief Stephen R. Adkins of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, a search committee member.

Coleman, a native of Williamsburg, Va., holds a master's degree in museum studies from Hampton University and has been a member of numerous organizations, including the African American Association of Museums and the American Alliance of Museums. TIME last year named her one of the 31 people changing the South.

As the new director of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Coleman intends to continue telling a more comprehensive story of our nation's 17^th- and 18^th-century beginnings.

SOURCE Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation