Essex Heritage Elects New Trustees, Commissioners

SALEM, MA — The Essex Heritage National Commission recently elected new trustees and commissioners, and presented its 2024 Essex Heritage Pioneer in Partnership and Special Recognition awards during its annual meeting.

New Essex Heritage Trustees:

● Andrew Darien: Professor of History & Interim Associate Dean, College of Arts & Sciences at Salem State University

● Michael Selbst: Real Estate Professional at Gibson Sotheby’s International Realty

● Francisco Urena: Manager of Greater Lawrence Municipal Airport

The following individuals were elected to serve the Essex National Heritage Commission:

● Alan Foulds: Lynnfield Historical Society, chair of Rev250 committee

● Pilar Garro: Property Director for Long Hill/Stevens-Coolidge House, The Trustees

● Chris LaPointe: President of Greenbelt

● Louis Meyi: Marblehead Racial Justice Team

Special Recognition Awards

As leaders of heritage organizations and supporters of the Essex National Heritage Area, Essex Heritage honors those who have made a professional or personal commitment to the heritage work in this region and thanks them for their service.

The following individuals were identified as 2024 Special Recognition Award Recipients:

1. Kenneth Turino was recognized for his years of dedication to the history of this region and his tremendous influence on current and future generations of New England museum professionals. Turino recently left his position as the Manager of Community Partnerships and Resource Development at Historic New England--the oldest, largest, and most comprehensive regional preservation organization in the country. Ken was responsible for developing and managing Historic New England's traveling exhibition program. Ken is Past President of the board of the House of Seven Gables Settlement Association and serves on the American Association for State and Local History Council. He is a lecturer for the Tufts University Museum Studies program, and a valuable consultant on interpretation and community engagement at historic house museums and LGBTQ+ projects.

1. Kate Bowditch was recognized for her dedication to preserving and enhancing the natural resources of the Essex National Heritage Area. Bowditch recently retired as President of Greenbelt after joining in 2018. Prior to that, Kate worked for 24 years at Charles River Watershed Association, where she helped transform the Charles River into the cleanest urban river in the country. Under Kate’s leadership, Greenbelt has grown its capacity as the most active land conservation organization in Essex County and had the opportunity to protect 148 acres of land owned by the Patton family in Hamilton and Topsfield. In just six months, $4 million was raised to purchase the land, creating the Vineyard Hill Reservation and Iron Ox Farm. During Kate’s tenure, Greenbelt also expanded its capacity by engaging more people in their work, leveraging technology to help people navigate trails, and focusing on the current and future impacts climate change. Over these past 6 years, Greenbelt has conserved more than 4,000 acres of land.

Pioneer in Partnership Awards

Each year, Essex Heritage presents Pioneer in Partnership Awards to individuals and organizations who exemplify the commission’s spirit of collaboration. The award recognizes those who build partnerships and celebrate the nationally significant places that form the Essex National Heritage Area.

The following project was identified as 2024 Pioneer in Partnership Award Recipient:

1. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation and the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence's Stewardship Corp Program.

Essex Heritage promotes public/private partnerships and develops and implements programs that enhance, preserve and encourage regional awareness of the unique historic, cultural, and natural resources found within the area.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)