WHITE PLAINS, NY — The Board of Trustees of the Westchester County Historical Society has announced that Barbara Davis of New Rochelle is joining Susanne Pandich in the shared position of Co-Director of WCHS effective January 1, 2021.
Most recently the Community Relations Coordinator for the New Rochelle Public Library, Davis earned a B.A. degree in Education from Goddard College and is the author/producer of dozens of articles and media presentations chronicling the history and features of Westchester County including New Rochelle: Images of America: New York (Acadia Publishing, 2009). Davis managed the New Rochelle Tricentennial events, instituted a local history archive at the New Rochelle Public Library, developed a New Rochelle Walk of Fame to recognize outstanding residents, and created a Downtown History Hop tour for mobile devices. Besides serving as New Rochelle’s city historian, Davis has served two six-year terms as a trustee of the Westchester County Historical Society and was its president from1991 to 1993. She served as chair of the Westchester County Historic Preservation Advisory Council from 2000-2010; 2018-present, and has worked for Westchester County, the Westchester Library System, and the Hudson River Museum.
In making the announcement, WCHS Board Chairman Susan Jainchill said, “We were presented with this wonderful and unexpected opportunity to have two experienced professionals combine forces in leading us into a new phase of promoting and preserving our county’s history. We couldn’t turn that down!”
In accepting the position, Davis said, “I am delighted to join the exceptional team of the WCHS. It is an honor and privilege to work with the expert staff, and dedicated Board and volunteers, in preserving and promoting the extraordinary, diverse heritage of Westchester.”
As Co-Executive Director of WCHS, Davis will share responsibilities for fund-raising, overseeing the production of the quarterly journal the Westchester Historian; managing communications in print, on the website, and in person; providing advice on preservation projects in the county; supervising the acquisition of collections and historical materials; and fostering relationships with agencies and organizations that contribute to an understanding of county history.
Co-Executive Director Susanne Pandich said, “Barbara and I have worked together on many county projects, so I look forward to the opportunities that our new partnership will bring for the WCHS.”
Established in 1874, the Westchester County Historical Society is one of the oldest historical societies in America and the only organization that collects and promotes the countywide history of Westchester. The Society’s comprehensive and accessible collection of books, pamphlets, periodicals, newspapers, manuscripts, maps and atlases, and images pertaining to the history and genealogy of Westchester County is housed in the state-of-the art temperature- and humidity-controlled environment of the Westchester County Records Center located at 2199 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford, NY, 10523.
For additional information, please visit www.westchesterhistory.com. The new phone number for WCHS is (914) 231-1401.
They are so lucky to have Barbara Davis. She is fantastic.