NHA hires new manager, promotes two from within
BY MARY LANCASTER
This coming February, Virginia resident Kimberly H. McCray will move to the island to become the first Manager of Interpretation and Education for the Nantucket Historical Association. In this new role, McCray will examine which programs at the Whaling Museum and other NHA sites can be expanded and work with the entire organization’s team to complement existing programs as well as determine how to enhance their contributions to the community.

Kimberly McCray, who grew up on South Hero Island in Lake Champlain, is the NHA’s first Manager of Interpretation and Education. She will begin work in February.

“The NHA is a place that has a fantastic collection and staff,” said McCray, 28. “The staff and the objects and the story the museum tells are a fantastic groundwork for all the potential projects the NHA is working on. It attracts me personally because the point where the organization is now is an exciting point to be at and they are working on a lot of new initiatives. Those initiatives are very great challenges that any museum professional would be thrilled to take on.”

McCray received bachelor’s degrees in American Studies and in Journalism and Mass Communications from Saint Michael’s College in Colchester, Vt., and a master’s degree in Liberal Studies from Washington’s Georgetown University. For the last six years she has worked for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. as Public Programs Coordinator of the National Postal Museum.

In that position she has responsibilities such as creation of educational programs and lecture presentations, hands-on activities, heritage months and for program collaboration with other area organizations. She has been honored by the Smithsonian with two awards for her work, and has also been associated with the National Museum of American History in Washington and Vermont’s Shelburne Museum.

Though she has enjoyed her opportunities at the Smithsonian, McCray looks forward to returning to New England where she was raised. McCray grew up on South Hero Island in the middle of Lake Champlain, comparable to Nantucket in size and with its year-round resident population of 9,000. Though she had never been to Nantucket before her NHA interview in October, she has spent time on the Vineyard.

“It seems even more sweet to me now [to return to New England] because I get to come back to an island environment,” she said.

McCray’s personal interests include reading, baking and kayaking. She said she loves animals and would like to have a pet (not allowed where she lives in Alexandria) when she relocates to Nantucket.

In other NHA news, two of its current staff have received promotions. Mark Wilson has been named Manager of Historic Resources. Wilson, who has been the NHA Collections Registrar since 2003, starts his new position on Jan. 1. He will oversee the care of NHA properties, guide its emergency preparedness efforts, serve as liaison with community preservation programs and continue writing grants to fund the NHA holdings.

Wilson moved to Nantucket with his family at the age of eight. After college he was Historic Resources Manager for the Stockbridge, Mass. Trustees of Reservations and returned to the island in 2003. He is married with two sons.

Ben Simons, with the NHA since 2002 and acting curator since August when he replaced outgoing Niles Parker, has been named the new Robyn and John Davis Curator of Collections. His role starts Jan. 1 and entails overseeing the NHA Research Library and all artifact collections, exhibitions and historic records as well as assisting with fundraising. He was also recently chosen as editor of “Historic Nantucket,” the organization’s quarterly publication. Further, Simons will serve as key liaison with the Friends of the Nantucket Historical Association, who acquire and return valuable island artifacts that are found in other locations.

Simons, who received degrees from Harvard College and Yale University, was chosen as curator over more than 30 applicants from across the country. He has authored two books on collections of maritime art and lives with his wife in Quidnet.

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