2023 Presidential Sites Summit Schedule

Monday, September 25

12:00pm: Registration at the Mayflower Hotel

4:00 PM – 6:00 PM: White House Reception

Please join us for a White House Reception hosted by Dr. Biden.

Introduction: John F.W. Rogers, Chairman, White House Historical Association Board of Directors
Remarks: Dr. Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States

Shuttles will depart the Mayflower Hotel at 2:30 pm. Following the reception, the shuttles will go directly from the White House to the Library of Congress.

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Evening Event at the Library of Congress

Preserving Presidential History

The Summit will open with a conversation between the heads of organizations who oversee the largest presidential collections, presidential libraries, and sites. The panelists will discuss their important role in preserving presidential history and sharing it with the public. There will be a reception following the panel discussion.

Welcome Remarks: Anita McBride, Chair, Presidential Sites Summit
Remarks from Cheri Carter, Vice President of Boeing Global Engagement, The Boeing Company
Introduction: Stewart McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association
Moderator: David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Co-CEO, The Carlyle Group
Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress
Chuck Sams, Director of the National Park Service
Colleen Shogan, Archivist of the United States
Closing Remarks: Stewart McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association

Shuttles will be provided back to the Mayflower Hotel following the evening event.

Tuesday, September 26

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Networking Breakfast and Exhibit Hall

East Room— Breakfast

Chinese Room— Exhibit Hall

Network and exchange ideas with representatives from presidential sites across the country. After breakfast, be sure to visit the exhibit hall located in the Chinese Room and meet with representatives from a variety of organizations and companies.

9:00 AM: Opening Ceremony

Opening Remarks: Anita McBride, Chair, Presidential Sites Summit
Special performance by the 22nd Grey Coat Battalion Fife and Drum Corps, Washington, DC and the St Andrew’s Society of Washington Color Guard

9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Engaging the Next Generation at Presidential Sites

Engaging with new generations and local communities to encourage life-long learning is crucial to the success of presidential sites. During this panel, attendees will hear how organizations are successfully engaging with the next generation and the importance of maximizing the awareness of their sites.

Introduction: Rodrigo Bollat Montenegro, Next-Gen Leader Co-Chair, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Stewart McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association
Jim Byron, President & CEO, Richard Nixon Foundation
Fionnghuala O’Reilly, Founder of Space to Reach and White House Historical Association Next Generation Leader
Sara Kanawati Stephany, Co-Chair, New Frontier Network at the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation
Janet Tran, Director of The Center for Civics, Education, and Opportunity, Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Innovative Technologies, Tools, and Platforms

As new technologies emerge, it is important for historic sites and organizations to understand how they can use these tools and platforms to engage new audiences, generate new content, and diversify fundraising opportunities. This panel will feature subject matter experts who can discuss the benefits of these new approaches.

Introduction: Ashley Dabbiere, Board Member, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Jean Case, Chairman, National Geographic and Member of the White House Historical Association’s Board of Directors
Avery Akkineni, President, Vayner3
Chris Cummings, Founder & CEO, Iconic Moments
Nik Honeysett, CEO, Balboa Park Online Collaborative
Jonathan Munar, Arts Team, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Kellee Wicker, Director, Science and Technology Innovation Program, The Wilson Center
Sharon Yang, Programs & Partnerships, External Affairs, Meta

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Networking Lunch, Exhibit Hall, and Book Signings

East Room— Lunch

Chinese Room— Exhibit Hall

Network and exchange ideas with representatives from presidential sites across the country. After lunch, be sure to visit the exhibit hall located in the Chinese Room and meet with representatives from a variety of organizations and companies.

White House History Shop at the Mayflower Hotel— Book Signings

Visit the White House History Shop at the Mayflower Hotel to attend author book signings and browse the shop. Help celebrate the release of Furnishing the White House: The Decorative Arts Collection at the book signing with the authors.

Don’t forget to use your 10% off discount at the shop! Open 10a.m.-7p.m.

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Telling the Full American Story at Presidential Sites

This panel will discuss how presidential sites and museums can be more inclusive through site interpretation, programming, community and descendant engagement, and exhibits.

Introduction: Deneen Howell, Board Member, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Felicia Bell, Senior Advisor to the Director, National Museum of American History
Sara Bon-Harper, Executive Director, James Monroe’s Highland
Meredith Evans, Director, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum
Kate Lemay, Curator & Historian, National Portrait Gallery
Gayle Jessup White, Public Relations and Community Engagement Officer at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson Foundation

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Evening Event at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History

Entertaining at the White House: A Conversation with Former Social Secretaries

The evening event will highlight the importance of the White House as a stage for hospitality and diplomacy. A reception will follow the program and guests can explore the exhibits.

Welcome Remarks: Anthea Hartig, Elizabeth MacMillan Director, National Museum of American History
Moderator: Anita McBride, Chair, Presidential Sites Summit
Jeremy Bernard, Former White House Social Secretary to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama
Gahl Hodges Burt, Former White House Social Secretary to President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan
Amy Zantzinger, Former White House Social Secretary to President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush

Shuttles will be provided to and from the Mayflower Hotel and the National Museum of American History. Shuttle service will begin at 6:15 pm.

Wednesday, September 27

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM: Networking Breakfast and Exhibit Hall

East Room— Breakfast

Chinese Room— Exhibit Hall

9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Sharing Women’s Stories at Presidential Sites

From First Ladies to White House staff, women have held many important roles throughout presidential history and this panel will highlight women who work to share these stories with the wider public.

Introduction: Tina Tchen, Board Member, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Greta Brawner, Host & Executive Producer for Public Affairs Programming, C-SPAN
Amy Bracewell, Superintendent, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
Brooke Clement, Director, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum
Barbara Franklin, 29^th U.S. Secretary of Commerce
Christina Shutt, Executive Director, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Engaging Audiences Through Social Media and Podcasts

Social media platforms and podcasts allow for organizations to reach large audiences but learning how to effectively leverage these platforms can often be challenging. This panel will feature speakers who successfully connect with audiences and share how other organizations can do the same.

Introduction: Teresa Carlson, Vice Chairperson, White House Historical Association Board of Directors
Moderator: Tammy Haddad, President & CEO, Haddad Media
Todd Arrington, Site Manager, James A. Garfield National Historic Site
Mike Duncan, History Podcaster and author
Elizabeth Ghosh, Partner Manager, Meta
Caroline Klibanoff, Executive Director, Made by Us

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM: Networking Lunch and Exhibit Hall

East Room— Lunch

Chinese Room— Exhibit Hall

White House History Shop at the Mayflower Hotel— Book Signings

Visit the White House History Shop at the Mayflower Hotel to attend author book signings and browse the shop. John Hutton will be available to sign the children’s books he has written and illustrated. Jennifer Pickens will also sign her book Entertaining at the White House.

Don’t forget to use your 10% off discount at the shop! Open 10a.m.-7p.m.

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM PM: General Session

Grand Ballroom— Inspiring Civic Education Through History

This panel will discuss the state of civics education in the United States and how history can be used to inspire students to engage more in civics. Learn from subject matter experts how different organizations and sites are creating resources, programming, and initiatives to reach students of all ages.

Introduction: Matthew Costello, Chief Education Officer, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Julie Silverbrook, Senior Director of Partnerships & Constitutional Scholar in Residence, iCivics
Joni Albrecht, Director, John Marshall Center for Constitutional History & Civics
Jay Barth, Director, William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
John Bridgeland, Co-Chair & CEO, More Perfect & Former Director, White House Domestic Policy Council
Julia Kaufman, Associate Department Director & Senior Policy Researcher, RAND Corporation

3:15 PM – 4:30 PM: A Conversation with FLARE - First Ladies Association for Research and Education

Join several founding members of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) for a conversation about their new co-authored book, U.S. First Ladies, Making History and Leaving Legacies.

Introduction: Stewart McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association
Moderator: Barbara Perry, Gerald L. Baliles Professor and co-chair, Presidential Oral History Program
Diana B. Carlin, Professor Emerita of Communication at Saint Louis University
Anita McBride, Chair, Presidential Sites Summit
Nancy Kegan Smith, Author and Former Director of the Presidential Materials Division of the National Archives and Records Administration

4:30 PM – 4:45 PM: Closing Remarks

Anita McBride, Chair, Presidential Sites Summit
Stewart McLaurin, President, White House Historical Association

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Closing Reception

Join us at the Mayflower Hotel for a reception to conclude the 2023 Presidential Sites Summit.

Raffles winners will be announced (must be present to win!).

Thursday, September 28

Optional day trips

10:00 AM: Mount Vernon

Embark on an excursion to Mount Vernon, the home and estate of George and Martha Washington. Complimentary tickets will be provided; however, transportation is not included.

11:00 AM: National Mall Tour

As “America’s Front Yard,” the National Mall is home to many of our country’s most iconic memorials, telling the stories of people and events that shaped us as a nation. A tour with a park ranger will be arranged; however, transportation is not provided.

11:00 AM: St. John’s Church

Known as “the Church of the Presidents,” each president beginning with James Madison has attended a service at St. John’s. Tour the historic church in the President's Neighborhood. A tour will be given by the staff of St. John's. Please note that transportation is not provided.

11:00 AM: Woodrow Wilson House

When Woodrow Wilson and his wife Edith retired from the White House in 1921 they made this house their home. Just off the beaten path of Embassy Row in the heart of Washington, D.C. the house is historically preserved - a time capsule from 1924 that is open daily to visitors. Complimentary tickets will be provided, however, transportation is not included.

12:00 PM: President Lincoln’s Cottage

Visit President Lincoln's Cottage, a historic site in Northwest Washington, D.C. where President Lincoln lived, made wartime decisions, and developed the Emancipation Proclamation. Complimentary tickets will be provided; however, transportation is not included.