Governing Council News: Christina DeYoung Elected President

The Cambridge Historical Society is delighted to announce that Christina DeYoung was elected to serve as President of the Governing Council of the Cambridge Historical Society at the Annual Meeting in February, succeeding Tod Beaty who has stepped down after six years of distinguished leadership. Also elected to the Governing Council in February were Belinda Clerisme, Marni Clippinger, Howard Lurie, Katherine Rafferty, and Michael Tushman.

A native New Englander, Christina DeYoung’s connection with Cambridge began in 1996 when she called on Harvard Book Store as a sales representative for Random House. She went on to serve in a variety of marketing roles at Houghton Mifflin and WGBH before crossing the river again to join Harvard Education Press as Director of Sales and Marketing in 2012. Prior to joining the Society board in 2016, she earned a certificate in nonprofit management at Duke and a master’s degree in museum studies at Harvard. She has served as chair of the Communications Committee and on the Sustainability Task Force. As the new President of the Governing Council, she looks forward to #sharingcuriosity about what the past means for the present and future of Cambridge.

At the February Opening Conversation and Annual Meeting, long-time Advisory Council member Frank Kramer expressed the gratitude of the entire Cambridge Historical Society community to past Council President Tod Beaty for his many years of forward-looking leadership:

“I want to take this opportunity to express our profound appreciation for all that Tod has done to guide us through the past six years. He has led us through an ambitious and successful capital campaign to restore the exterior of our Brattle Street home, the Hooper Lee Nichols house, to its current grandeur, raising over $300,000. He saw the need for a strategic plan and found a facilitator to guide us through to our present success. He led us through the process of finding a new executive director, and hired the wonderful and talented Marieke Van Damme. And finally, he helped us build and re-energize our Governing Council, attracting and recruiting the skilled and committed group we have today. None of this was without challenges, and he handled it all with aplomb. For this we thank you, Tod, and we are delighted that you will continue to serve with us on the Council as we move forward.”

Also stepping down at the meeting in February was Andy Leighton, who has been a distinguished Council member for over twenty years, and served as Society Treasurer. The Governing Council thanks Andy for his many years of generous and wise counsel, and wishes him all the best in his retirement. Newly elected Council member Belinda Clerisme will assume Andy’s responsibilities as Treasurer.

The membership also thanked officers Bruce Irving, Editor, and Heli Meltsner, Curator, for their service, as Marni Clippinger and Amy Devin step into those respective roles. Councilors leaving the board were also recognized: Ken Taylor, Matt Brelis, Samantha Richard, Anand Master, and Jonathan Muniz.

Long-time Society assistant, Victoria Hickey, who recently retired, was also applauded for her tenure.

Photos of Marieke Van Damme, Christina DeYoung and Tod Beaty by Marissa Kramer.