History – Page 2 – Creative Minds Out Loud

Episode 56: Reconnecting to America and What It Stands For

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Revolution 250 is a consortium of organizations working together to commemorate the 250th anniversaries of the events that led to American Revolution. Over the coming 10 years, they will explore the history of the American Revolution and the ways that this remarkable story still resonates today.

Last fall, we spoke with Reverend Steve Ayres, Vicar of the Old North Church, about Revolution 250, the challenges of stewarding historic sites, and the long-term benefits of knowing our history and where we’ve come from.

Revolution 250 hopes to convince civic leadership of the value of this major milestone as a way to renew not only our commitment to the nation and its ideals, but to refresh one of the most essential brand identities of the Commonwealth and Boston – birthplace of the American Revolution.

Reverend Steve Ayers The Rev. Stephen T. Ayres has served as Vicar of the Old North Church since 1997 and as Executive Director of the Old North Foundation since 2012. Vicar Ayres was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 1980 and has served parishes in Missouri, New York, and Massachusetts. He has an undergraduate degree in Comparative Religion from Hamilton College, an M.Div. from the Episcopal Divinity School, and an MA in Urban Policy from Tufts University. Continue reading “Episode 56: Reconnecting to America and What It Stands For”

Episode 38: Championing Civic Empowerment Then & Now

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Marita Rivero is the Executive Director of the Museum of African-American History, New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving, and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. She discusses what it means to be part of a cultural continuum, and how the arts and humanities can be used to reach across barriers to bring a richer dialog forward.

Marita Rivero is the Executive Director of the Museum of African American History in Boston and Nantucket. She has been involved with the Museum as a supporter, member, volunteer and board member, including ten years as its chair in the early 2000’s. Rivero brings experience as a prolific public broadcasting executive, and member of several local and national non-profit boards in the areas of social service, arts, education, and historic preservation.

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Episode 33: The Enduring Values of John F. Kennedy’s Presidency

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The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is honoring the 100th anniversary of the birth of JFK with a year-long celebration. Steven M. Rothstein, Executive Director of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, discusses the commemoration of this centennial year and reflects on the inspirational legacy of JFK in the arts, culture, and our democracy.

Steven Rothstein Steven M. Rothstein is an accomplished non-profit administrator, public servant, and entrepreneur. As President of the world-renowned Perkins School for the Blind, Rothstein led the institution through a period of significant growth. During his eleven year tenure from 2003-2014, he grew in-person and online educational services from 40,000 to 900,000 people, diversified teacher training services to all 50 states, increased academic offerings, and expanded to 30 new countries.
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Episode 22: Leadership Change Needn’t Be A Crisis

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There’s an enormous amount of generational leadership change that’s happening in our arts and cultural organizations. And while people may liken succession planning to a form of disaster preparedness, Old Sturbridge Village – the largest outdoor history museum in the Northeast – sees it differently.

Jim Donahue, President and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village, discusses their intentional processes around leadership change – how it’s not just about the end of a person’s tenure, but about sustaining a strong organization (even if nobody leaves).

Jim Donahue, President and CEO of Old Sturbridge Village Jim Donahue is highly regarded in the non-profit sector as a collaborative visionary. He is recognized as one of the top non-profit executives in New England with an impressive background in leadership, education, and fund-raising.
Prior to taking the position as President and CEO for Old Sturbridge Village, Donahue was the CEO of the Bradford Dunn Institute for Learning Differences in Providence, RI. The Institute operates a network of high-quality programs that include The Hasbro Center for Teaching Excellence, the RI Tutorial and Educational Services, and the CVS Highlander Charter School, which Donahue founded in 2000. Donahue negotiated the merger between the Bradford Dunn Institute and CVS Highlander Charter School in 2004. During his seven year tenure as the director of the charter school, he led the renovation of two campuses for the school and the establishment of several key capacity-building partnerships.
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