ANNA L. WEISSMAN, PHD

ABOUT ME

I am a social historian and museum professional. I completed my doctorate in Political Science at the University of Florida, with additional coursework in anthropology, museum studies, history, and gender studies.  

I have 8 years of experience in advanced curriculum design and development, scholarly research, and post-secondary teaching as an instructor at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College (Gainesville). I published several works, including an edited volume by Oxford University Press (2020), the first book-length treatment to provide a comprehensive interrogation of motherhood and maternality in global politics. I also published a refereed book chapter in the Routledge Handbook of Gender and Security (2018), a peer-reviewed article which considers three case studies in identifying differences in support between same-sex marriage and same-sex couple adoption (2016), as well as several book reviews.

Prior to my time in academia, I worked for five years in fundraising, business-to-business sales, and account management. I developed revenue-generating campaigns, working with clients daily, and managing multiple, ongoing projects.

Public history has become a true passion. I have found that in this field, I am able to take advantage my academic rigor, outgoing personality, and attention to detail and planning.
I worked in curation and programming at the Matheson History Museum (Gainesville, FL), the Panama Canal Museum Collection (Gainesville, FL), the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (Washington, D.C.), and the Historic Barker Mansion (Michigan City, IN). I love what I do!

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For more specifics on my background, expertise, and experience, check out my resume.

VICE PRESIDENT, LA PORTE HISTORICAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION

September 2021-

I have been appointed to the Historical Preservation Commission by Mayor Tom Dermody. I was nominated and voted in as Vice President by the members of the commission

• Designed the GROE initiative (Guiding with Resources, Outreach, and Education) for revitalizing community involvement 

• Developing new marketing and social media strategies    

• Developing new communication strategies with designated homeowners 

• Planning first annual Open House for 100+ individuals 

• Working with Mayor Dermody via social media for more community engagement

BARKER MANSION, MICHIGAN CITY, IN

July 2020 -

• Restoration Project Management 

  • Management of $4.5-million-dollar site improvements and development projects, structural repairs, and restoration (fall 2020-)

  • Management $50,000 historic garden restoration (fall 2020-fall 2021) 

  • Managed contractors and sub-contractors for all projects

  • Provided weekly project updates with powerpoints and design input for Board 

  • Procured conservators for specialty work

• Exhibits

  • Design and implement all temporary and permanent exhibits, including a 1,200-square-foot permanent exhibit on historic Haskell & Barker Car Factory (Spring 2022) and permanent "living exhibit" on historic Barker Mansion garden (Spring 2023) 

  • Development of full calendar of public programming and education

• Refurnish Plan Project Curator

  • Performed comprehensive object-based and archival research on the artifacts, architecture and historic spaces of the 38-room Gilded Age historic home including historic garden and Haskell & Barker factory (1852-1922)

  • Produced full-length, multi-stage project plan including interpretative objectives, analysis of primary source documentation, site description, profile of occupants, description of each floor (4), rooms (19), objects and furnishings in each room, recommendations for new use/position of objects and rooms, and recommendations for supporting materials and media (signage, exhibits)

• Collection & Archive

  • Management of $4-million-dollar historical collection, digital archive, and physical archive

  • Overhauled digital database and performed comprehensive inventory on entire collection (~2,000 items)

  • Complete restructuring and reorganization of archive

  • Manage volunteers and part-time curatorial staff

• Public Programming 

  • Develop and implement local-history-based public programming, events, and activities relating to mansion’s mission

  • Serve as content expert

  • Coordinate with local historical institutions for joint partnerships and digital archival initiatives 

  • Develop and manage secondary and post-secondary internship program 

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY (NMAH), WASHINGTON, D.C.

January 2020 - June 2020

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• Designed research on acquisition history, documentation, curatorial notes, exhibits pertaining to African American history 1963-1979; developed and implemented organizational methodology of division records

• Exhibition team, “Girlhood: It’s Complicated” permanent exhibit (5,000 sq. foot gallery, June 12, 2020- January 2, 2022) and traveling exhibit (2023-2025)

• Collection team, “New Paths to Change: Undocumented Immigrant Activism, 2000 to Present,” with the Smithsonian Latino Center and the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center

• Spearheaded collections initiative across divisions regarding responsible, community-focused collection practices, African American and Native communities

• Helped manage $40,000 for auction

• Scholarly Advisory Committee, Division of Cultural and Community Life, NMAH

MATHESON HISTORY MUSEUM, GAINESVILLE, FL

Dec 2018 - Aug 2019

• “McCarthy Moment: The Johns Committee at the University of Florida (1958-59),” Feb 2020 -Aug 2020

  • Planned exhibit and generated theme, storyboard, and content

  • Historical writing and interpretation and exhibition script, catalogues, and media for temporary exhibition

  • Included collections and curatorial work

  • Spearheaded microfiche research in local newspapers for inclusion as featured exhibition objects

  • Coordinated with local LGBTQ organizations to cultivate partnerships for objects donations and partnerships in public and on-site museum programming

• “Trailblazers: 150 Years of Alachua County Women,” March 2020, for Celebrate Women 2020  

  • City-wide celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment

  • Generated content and storyboarding

  • Communicated with local experts and organizations for exhibit development and programming partnership

• Collections management

  • Accessioned and deaccessioned objects in museum collection

  • Updated condition reports via PastPerfect inclusive of digitization efforts

PANAMA CANAL MUSEUM COLLECTION, SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, GEORGE A. SMATHERS LIBRARIES, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Feb 2018 - Aug 2019

• Curator of exhibit “Fog of War? WWII Propaganda in the Panama Canal Zone,” March 2020

  • Researched, developed, and curated exhibition for 15 large cases

  • Created object list, curator’s statement, all interpretive text, exhibit layout, and exhibit press release

  • Worked with Curation and Collections Management teams in the Panama Canal Museum Collection and the Latin American and Caribbean Collection

  • Presented proposal to exhibit stakeholders for final stage approval

• Collections management

  • Inventory for objects and developed and implemented new organizational system based on medium for objects of the Panama Canal Museum Collection

  • Coordinated projects in consultation with Head of Special Collections

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE, GRADUATE STUDENT COUNCIL, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Aug 2013 - May 2015

• Director of Fundraising

  • Originated creative strategies for maximizing fundraising for large department

    • Designed promotional items (mugs, tote bags, t-shirts, and koozies) and oversaw sales and marketing campaigns

    • Created website and social media profile for donation solicitation and sale of promotional materials

    • Increased awareness of organization through digital media campaigns via social media and website

    • Managed 5 fundraising volunteers

    • Presented monthly status reports to council

    • Planned and evaluated fundraising events in local establishments, negotiating with establishments for participation deals, special offers, and donation of partial proceeds

    • Researched and ensured legal reporting compliance

    • Developed communication and relationship with local promotional and printing companies 

PH.D., POLITICAL SCIENCE,

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2019

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE, WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES,

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2015

M.A., POLITICAL SCIENCE, 

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

2014

B.A., INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, 

LAKE FOREST COLLEGE (LAKE FOREST, IL)

2010

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

curriculum development and instruction

INSTRUCTOR, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Department of Political Science

• Politics of Eastern Europe, (CPO 3614/EUS 3930; Fall 2018)

2018 - 2019

INSTRUCTOR, SANTA FE COLLEGE (GAINESVILLE, FL)

2015 - 2019

Department of Behavioral Sciences

• Introduction to American Politics (POS 2041; Fall 2015, Spring 2015, Summer 2015, Spring 2017, Fall 2017)

• Introduction to Global Politics, (INR 2001; Spring 2017 - three sections)

GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

• Introduction to International Relations, (INR 2001; Fall 2014, Spring 2015, online Summer 2015)         

• Politics of World Economy, (INR 3034; Spring 2012)

2012 - 2015

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS