The White House Historical Association Announces New National Council Members

Oct 24, 2023 Washington, D.C. —

The White House Historical Association welcomes 16 new members to its National Council on White House History and 10 new corporations to its Corporate Leaders Council. These corporations and individuals convene each year and are committed to promoting and preserving the rich history of the White House.

The National Council on White House History was established in 2017 and is made up of 115 members in 27 states and 62 cities who serve as ambassadors to the Association by supporting the Association’s non-profit nonpartisan mission in the areas of preservation, education, and providing public access to America’s Executive Mansion.

The Association’s Corporate Leaders Council includes:

• The Boeing Company
• BP America
• Cheniere Energy
• Chevron
• Cross RiverBank
• ExxonMobil
• The Home Depot
• General Motors
• Meta
• Splunk

New individual Cabinet of the National Council members include:

• Tatiana Copeland (Wilmington, DE)– Tatiana is the owner of Bouchaine Vineyards and the founder and president of several real estate and energy businesses. Alongside her husband, Gerret Copeland, they have established a unique model of community philanthropy in their home state of Delaware, receiving numerous awards for their commitments.
• Victoria Jackson (Beverly Hills, CA)– Victoria is a cosmetics entrepreneur, medical research trailblazer, and a National Women’s Hall of Fame inductee. She is the founder of the global brand Victoria Jackson Cosmetics and became the first to market a cosmetics line on television. She is the co-founder of The Guthy-Jackson Charitable Foundation.

New individual council members include:

• Annette Allen (Palm Beach, FL) ­– Author and journalist, Annette has published 12 books and is a contributor to a variety of publications. She currently serves on the board of Lincoln Center Theater in New York City and in Florida she is a board member of the Glades Academy Foundation.
• Beatrice Hamza Bassey (New York, NY)– Ms. Hamza Bassey is an experienced C-suite executive of publicly listed companies with more than 20 years of multi-jurisdictional experience as partner in a major U.S. law firm, and General Counsel. She is a member of the board of directors of Vornado Realty Trust where she serves on the compensation and audit committees.
• John Budetti (Montclair, NJ)– John is Global Chair of the Investment Funds & Private Capital practice at Paul Hastings, an international law firm. He joined Paul Hastings from Kirkland & Ellis, where he was a senior partner in the Investment Funds Group at Kirkland & Ellis.
• Robert Capoferri (Newton Square, PA)– Robert serves as Chairman of Marble Crafters, Inc. and is also the Co-founder of the “Ed McLoughlin” Memorial Fund for Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. He’s a recipient of the Business Achievement Award from the National Italian American Foundation and was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve as a judge on the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline.
• Beth Heineman Eliason (Omaha, NE) – A philanthropist, Beth previously worked in the healthcare industry and insurance industries. She then launched into managing her family farm, participating in community service, and raising her three children full time. She makes philanthropic gifts from the Eliason Family Foundation, and currently serves on the board of Catholic Charities of Omaha.
• Tony Fratto (New York, NY) – Tony is global head of Corporate Communications at Goldman Sachs. Prior to joining the firm, he founded Hamilton Place Strategies (now Penta Group) in 2009. Prior to founding Hamilton Place Strategies, Tony worked at the White House as deputy assistant to President George W. Bush and principal deputy press secretary.
• Mary Elizabeth Simpson Hanahan (Charleston, SC) – “Bessie” has been an active member of and leader in the historic preservation and garden communities at state, local, and national levels. She has served on the boards of the reservation Society of Charleston, the South Carolina Archives and History Foundation, and the National Tropical Botanical Garden in Hawaii.
• Gabriela Hearst (New York, NY) – Gabriela is a luxury designer, Creative Director for her eponymous brand and formerly of Chloé. Her namesake brand was built on the values of long term view and sustainability. In addition to designing her namesake collection, she runs and operates her family's ranch in Uruguay. She was named 1 of the 25 most Influential Women of 2021 by the Financial Times.
• Carrie Ann Hoernig (McLean, VA)– Carrie started her early career as a successful real estate professional which inspired her to build a mortgage company. Eventually branching into the hospitality industry, she focused on the design and development of six restaurants across the region and built a franchise fitness studio.
• Teena Hostovich (La Canada Flintridge, CA) – Teena is the Vice Chair of the Pacific of Lockton Insurance Brokers. She serves on the Board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, is on the Kennedy Center International Committee for the Arts and President’s Advisory Committee and is a member of the National Council for American Film Institute. She is a mentor/instructor in the CAP/USC program at University of Southern California and adviser to the newly established Risk Management degree program.
• Martha McGeary Snider (Berwyn, PA)– Martha currently serves as Chair of the George Washington Council and Vice Chair of the Museum of the American Revolution. She also serves as a trustee of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. She is a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her contributions as a philanthropic leader on local, national, and international boards.
• Bob Page (Greensboro, NC) – Bob is the founder of Replacements, Ltd., one of the world’s largest retailers of vintage and new tableware, collectibles, and estate jewelry. Bob is especially involved in Bob’s Closet, a charitable program he began that provides clothing and other household items to low-income people for free. He has been awarded the North Carolina A & T State University’s Human Rights Medal and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, given by North Carolina’s Governor for exemplary service.
• Matthew Romanowski (Havertown, PA)– Matthew is a Partner at Unicorn Partners, a strategy consulting firm based outside of Philadelphia and serves as an Advisor to the Business Council for International Understanding and rePlant Hemp Advisors. Previously, he served as Director of Marketing & Client Services at The Swarthmore Group, and as an Analyst at International Raw Materials.
• Laura Wideman (Orlando, FL) – Laura is a partner in a family office specializing in commercial real estate investments. An advocate for children and families in the greater Central Florida community, she has served in a variety of philanthropic and leadership roles which include the Howard Phillips Center for Children and Families, Nemours Children’s Hospital, and the Hospital Homebound program.

The National Council on White House History will convene in New York on November 1 for the Association’s biennial gala on November 2 that will feature actors Michael Douglas and Martin Sheen, mezzo-soprano opera singer Dencye Graves, and television hosts Al Roker and Deborah Roberts.

Read more about the Association’s National Council and Corporate Leaders Council.

For media inquiries, please contact press@whha.org.