Lower Merion Historical Society Board of Directors

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Ardmore Memorial Day parades with my young children; my daily walk to the Ardmore train station to commute to CC for 8 years; hearing oral histories of Ardmore from neighbors who had lived and worked in Ardmore for 50+ years when I moved there in 1994.

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

Queen Anne Victorian in Ardmore near Cricket Avenue and Spring Avenue for almost 20 years; Thomas Wynne Apartments in Narberth for 1½ years, Merion Station for 8 years.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

I care about history and love Lower Merion. I want to make sure that the collections of LMHS are preserved and accessible to the public and I want to ensure that the history of the historic Black communities in Lower Merion are fully documented in LMHS collections. My MA in preventive conservation will be useful in overseeing collections management and historic preservation practices, in addition to my long experience in board governance best practices.

Concise Bio

Kim Andrews is a 30 year resident of Lower Merion Township in Ardmore and Merion Station. As a single mother, she raised three children to young adulthood here and recently remarried. Kim moved to Ardmore because the racial, economic, and architectural diversity and commercial district there reminded her of Mount Airy, Philadelphia, where she grew up. She has an MA in Preventive Conservation and is veteran of the regional cultural nonprofit and philanthropic communities. Her work history includes Preservation Services Officer at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts for 8 years, Executive Director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia where she managed the historic site Shofuso Japanese House and Garden for 13 years. and The Fund for Women and Girls, where she is currently helming a strategic planning process to expand grantmaking, advocacy, and educational impact.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

First time my now 8-year-old daughter rode her bike the length of Cynwyd Heritage Trail, and back… up that big incline!

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

7 years in Bala Cynwyd

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

My academic work centers around human well-being and the connections between people & place through time — I’m interested in thinking about how this applies to my own community, and about what we can learn from both the rich history of LM and from untold stories that emerge from historical research & knowledge within the community. I want to contribute to securing the legacy of the LM Historical Society as an institution. Also interested in the links between history and biodiversity conservation, and thinking about how to further inclusively engage our community in stewardship of local history.

Concise Bio

Conservation biologist at the American Museum of Natural History’s Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, with experience in grant writing and project management, applied conservation research, exhibition curation, evidence synthesis and evidence-informed conservation, capacity building for conservation, and pedagogical approaches that center equity, in particular racial equity. BA in Biology (Boston University), MA in Conservation Biology (Columbia University Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology). Erin’s Full bio

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

While I have had many great memories over the years, one of my favorite memories was working with my US History students and members of the Ardmore community to commemorate the 1963 “moment of integration” with the closing of Ardmore Avenue elementary. Students in my classes worked with Ted Goldsborough and the Lower Merion Historical Society to find primary sources about the decision to close the school. The students interviewed community members that were part of the last class of Ardmore Avenue elementary and learned about what the transition meant to them. They made a documentary which was shown as part of the ceremonies commemorating the event 50 years later. Marching through Ardmore from the former site of Ardmore Avenue elementary (now a senior living facility) to Lower Merion High School with the students, school staff and community members filled me with pride and is a very fond memory.

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

While I do not live in the Lower Merion community, I have been connected to the community as a history teacher at Lower Merion High School for the past seventeen years. I also went to grade school at Waldron Academy, so feel like I have been connected to the community for much longer.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

I’d like to find ways to make community members, especially students in our schools and local colleges, more aware of the great collections of the Society. This will hopefully lead to rich research possibilities, ranging from written papers to podcasts, and establish in young people a better connection with Lower Merion’s fascinating past.

Concise Bio

Social Studies Department Chair at Lower Merion High School, where I have taught US History and World History since 2005. Sponsor of The Merionite school newspaper since 2006. Prior to teaching I worked as a manager of a graphic design team at JP Morgan Chase in Wilmington, DE and as a museum specialist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, assisting with exhibit development, education and collections management. I served on the Board of the Young Friends of the UPenn Museum for five years. My interests run from archaeology to historical reenactment, as a proud member of the 84th Regiment of Royal Highland Emigrants.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Due to the pandemic I haven’t had a lot of chances to make memories here yet, but our neighborhood had a block party a few weeks ago that was absolutely sensational — families coming together, children playing in the street past dark. Really a magical experience!

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

We moved to Haverford from Seattle, WA, in September 2019 – so three years now! Although I lived in Seattle for 18 years and DC for 5 years before that, I grew up not far from here in Concord Township and attended Garnet Valley High School. I was born in Drexel Hill and raised in Glen Mills, and my father’s family has roots in Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia Counties back through the 1700s, so I am very tied to the Philadelphia area.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

I have a deep love and appreciation for history and historical architecture. Working directly with an organization that helps preserve, maintain, and restore buildings, documents, and information for future generations would be a dream come true for me. I want to pass my affection for the Philadelphia area onto my children, in the hope that I and they can endeavor to learn from our history and improve conditions here for future residents. I was recently lucky enough to attend a Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia architectural dinner and hear developer Ken Weinstein speak about acquiring historical buildings and restoring them for community use and it was incredibly inspirational and strengthened my desire to become involved in historical preservation in my community.

Concise Bio

I have a BA in English from George Washington University and have worked as an editor, executive assistant, and paralegal, including associate to general counsel at the National Geographic Society. I currently work as both a doula and an event planner and coordinator as well as volunteering my time with organizations including Children’s Crisis Treatment Center, Help Us Adopt, and Friends’ Central School as co-chair of the Lower School’s Home and School Association. I previously co-produced an annual event in Seattle benefiting Seattle Humane and served on the planning committee for the American Cancer Society’s annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer fundraiser. I am a member of multiple local historical organizations including the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia and the Friends of Laurel Hill as well as many natural preservation groups such as Natural Lands and Friends of the Wissahickon. I currently reside in Haverford, PA, with my husband, two young sons, and myriad pets.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

My favorite recent LM memory results from turning over a new leaf in Jan 2022 to start taking long almost-daily neighborhood walks with my beloved terrier: good for both waistline and mental health! It is amazing how much more I see and notice on foot along the side streets, than when driving my familiar roads.

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

My husband, now 26-year-old twins, and I moved from the Haverford Township side of Ardmore to Merion just before the children started kindergarten at Cynwyd Elementary.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

I am interested in learning about ideas for more fully entwining the Society with the lives of LM students and residents. Having commuted to work with great regional buildings and collections, it is puzzling to reflect that after 20+ years of living nearby, I have been in the Academy Buiding only once. Not knowing all the reasons for that disconnect, I am eager to explore if there is support for meaningful outreach and the Society establishing a stronger community presence.

Concise Bio

Growing up in Alexandria, VA, in an old house filled with objects that had belonged to other people, left its mark. After studying history and art history at Williams College, I completed the graduate program at U of DE’s Winterthur Program in E. American Culture. Trained as a curator, I’ve worked with many regional history organizations (Cliveden, Stenton, Lemon Hill, Grundy Mansion, Founder’s Hall at Girard College, Chester Co. History Center) and am now the Director of Philanthropy with The Fund for the Water Works.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Planning and helping to implement the long-overdue conservation of the monumental bronze plaque on Narberth’s World War I Memorial.

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

32 years in Narberth

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

In general I think that the Society is in a great position to use its significant collections in a more proactive way and expand its ability to reach people with stories of Lower Merion and Narberth that have not been told before. It would be fun to be a part of an effort like that.

Concise Bio

Dennis Montagna directs the National Park Service’s Monument Research & Preservation Program, based at the Park Service’s Northeast Region Office in Philadelphia. Dennis holds a BA with dual majors in Studio Art and Art History from Florida State University, a Master’s degree in Art History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware. He currently serves as the President of the Association for Gravestone Studies and is a member of the governing board of the Vermont Marble Museum, based in Proctor, Vermont. He also chairs the Historical Architectural Review Board for the Borough of Narberth, PA and is a founding member of the Friends of Narberth History.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

4th of July parade through Bala Cynwyd and down to the park for a day of games and rides with our kids and their friends. As a kid, I never experienced an event quite like the 4th of July activities in Bala Cynwyd Park.

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

We moved to Bala Cynwyd in 2007. We lived in West Philly for five years prior to moving to LM.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

I have been on the Merion Friends Meeting Historic Preservation Campaign Committee for the last couple of years. It was through learning about the history of the 1695 Meeting House that I became interested in more than the physical structure of a historic building but its place in the community. The Historical Society needs to be more than a repository for documents and artifacts related to Lower Merion. It must also be able to tell the story of our community. It was only through hearing the stories of the indigenous people and Welsh settlers and actually seeing how the Meeting House was constructed (and later preserved) that I became interested in the history of the LM community.

Concise Bio

My arrival in the area was through a circuitous route: originally from Kentucky, I moved to Columbus, Ohio, then to San Francisco. I arrived in Philadelphia in 1996 after having driven a U-Haul from the Bay Area. I had no job upon arrival and only a furnished studio apartment for one month. At that time, Penn managed their own temp agency. I spent a few weeks in various positions, moving into a full-time role soon after.

Most of my professional career has been working in higher education (30+ years). I have spent much of that time in fundraising/development (at Penn and Temple). In addition, I spent a few years working in the President’s Center during Amy Gutmann’s tenure.

My passion for the last 10+ years has been serving on the board of Pig Iron Theatre Company. For most of that time, I was board president. Recently, the organization has gone through several leadership changes, so I have been serving as their interim Managing Director as well as the interim General Manager.

My wife does cancer research at Penn. Our children attend Lower Merion High School (9th and 11th grade).

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Exploring the woods at General Wayne Park as a child with my three sisters…then doing the same exploring there with my twins when they were kids. And I still walk there!

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

I grew up in Merion; after living some years in Bucks County, I moved back to LM and Penn Valley. My kids graduated from Harriton. Total time here: 40+ years.

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

LM has such a rich history; I first became interested and aware of our history when I was a child—I read the Merion Park Civic Association phone directory (dorky kid), and learned that my neighborhood was formerly a harness racetrack and that my street was where the judges’ stand was! It blew my young mind. The LMHS is such a critical link to our past, and I want to help it thrive, especially with young folks.

Concise Bio

Consultant (writer/video producer) in the pharmaceutical communications world for the past 21 years. Currently board chair, Ardmore Initiative. I’ve also co-moderated the Lower Merion Community Network (over 27,000 members) on Facebook for the past 10 years.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

A peaceful nighttime winter walk with snow falling softly

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

Six+ years on the edge of Bala Cynwyd

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

After living overseas in a country that ignores its past in many ways (China) and living in a country surrounded by its past (England), I value the deep roots of Lower Merion, both in the American and pre-American periods. I’d like to see the entire community grow in its appreciation of our history and use that knowledge to inform the future direction of our township.

Concise Bio

I was raised in upstate NY farm country, and lived overseas for 10½ years of my adult life. I earned a BS in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University and a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science at University of Nottingham (UK). My career focused on biochemistry and biopharmaceutical R&D; now retired. My two children are graduates of Harriton HS; my husband is an executive at a company supplying ingredients to the food and pharmaceutical industries. I am serving or have served as a board officer and/or a committee chair for a number of neighborhood, school, political, and social organizations. My lifetime fundraising total exceeds $250k, benefitting school communities, charities, and local political parties. I am particularly proud of my work in Shanghai with a challenging, multilingual PTA community. My expertise is in written communication and training, project management, and volunteer coordination. I am currently a Vice Chair of the Democratic Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth and a Director of the Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd. The part of history I enjoy most is fashion and clothing.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Locating the historic photo of Camp Discharge

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

I’ve lived nearly all of my life in Gladwyne

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

To spread the word about local history, and safeguard and preserve it

Concise Bio

I’ve been a board member of the Lower Merion Historical Society, and am the co-author with Jim Remsen of Back From Battle, a book about Camp Discharge, a Civil War camp that had existed near my boyhood home in Gladwyne. I am a onetime schoolteacher and currently operate my own fire-security business. On the side I am a re-enactor for the 69th Pennsylvania Infantry and a skilled relic hunter for artifacts, including at the Camp Discharge site.

Favorite LM/Narberth memory

Having the father and son softball games on July 4th morning at Bryn Mawr Elementary School as a child

How long have you lived in LM/Narberth? In which community?

Lived in Bryn Mawr all my life except for going away to college and early years after college

Why do you want to serve on the board of the Society?

As my father who was born (1910) and grew up in Bryn Mawr, also attended Lower Merion High School, and stories he told me about growing up in Bryn Mawr before World War II and after that, there is a rich history of Afro Americans living in Lower Merion. That history needs to be preserved.

Concise Bio

I grew up in Bryn Mawr and in 1982 joined my father as a sales agent. After his father’s illness in 1996 I became Proprietor and Broker of Records of Wilbur M. Whitney Realtor in Bryn Mawr.

I’m a member of the following organizations: presently I’m a Deacon at Zion Baptist Church of Ardmore, Treasurer of Board of PALM (Positive Aging in Lower Merion) Center in Ardmore; Treasurer of Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center in West Philadelphia (CCCEEC); Treasurer of Club Thrif-T, oldest Black Male social club on the Main Line; Housing Chairperson of Main Line NAACP; Member Bryn Mawr Business Association. Former member of Ardmore Rotary Club and Ardmore Affordable Housing