Anne Darron, Executive Director of Washington Heritage Museums, to Retire in May
Darron was appointed as the first leader of the organization shortly after it was established in 2013.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Anne Darron, the executive director of Washington Heritage Museums—the nonprofit that owns and manages five 18th-century sites in Fredericksburg with ties to George Washington—will retire in May after 12 years of leadership.
“Anne’s dedication to historic preservation and her strategic vision have positioned WHM for long-term success,” said Chuck Fennell, chair of the board, in a press release from the organization. “Under her leadership, we’ve acquired an additional property, strengthened our finances and deepened our community connections. We’re grateful for her 12 years of service and look forward to welcoming a new leader who will build on this momentum.”
Darron has been the inaugural executive director of the Washington Heritage Museums, which was established in 2013 to take over management of four Fredericksburg properties that had been owned by Preservation Virginia—the Mary Washington House, Rising Sun Tavern, Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, and St. James House.
While earning her BA in Historic Preservation from then-Mary Washington College, Darron worked as an intern for Preservation Virginia. She later worked as an administrator for WHM when it was first established before being appointed executive director.
Under her leadership, according to the press release, the organization has expanded its programming, outreach to local schools, and fundraising. It has grown in terms of full-time staff, membership, volunteers, and donors, as well as in size with the acquisition several years ago of the Mary Washington Monument and nearby Caretaker’s Lodge.
Darron has spearheaded a $1.6 million capital campaign to perform “structural, interpretive and landscaping improvement” at the monument, which is the first in the country to be commissioned by women in honor of a woman.
In the press release, Darron said she shares her decision to retire “with a mix of gratitude and bittersweet emotion.”
“Over the past 11 years, I’ve had the privilege of witnessing—and contributing to—tremendous growth at WHM. From the Monument acquisition and the launch of A Monumental Vision, to planning for our move into new offices and the unforgettable Bourbon and Boxwood gatherings, there has always been something exciting on the horizon,” she said. “Yet, as much as I cherish these milestones, I feel the time is right to turn my focus toward family and the next chapter of life.”
The WHM board of directors will launch a search for Darron’s replacement “soon,” according to the press release.
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Incredible work building that $1.6M capital campaign around the Mary Washington Monument. Leading WHM from a startup nonprofit to the point where it can take on that kindof monument restoration while still expanding programming shows serious institutional capacity building. What's kinda interesting is how preserving a 'first' like that (first monument by women for a woman) becomes it's own case study in succession planning when the founding director leaves.