The National Archives Foundation, the non-profit partner of the National Archives and Records Administration, today announced the election of Diana Spencer to its Board of Directors. Spencer has served as Executive Director of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund since May 2006.
“We are absolutely delighted to welcome Diana to the board,” said Archives Foundation board chairman A’Lelia Bundles. “From our work together through the years on the annual McGowan Forums, we already know she is a most collegial and thoughtful partner. We look forward to her expertise and her positive spirit.”
As its first full-time Executive Director, Spencer launched a PBS documentary entitled Long Distance Warrior, which highlighted former CEO of MCI William McGowan and the battle with AT&T over a monopolized telecommunications industry. The film debuted in 2010 at the National Archives and was distributed via PBS stations across the country.
During her tenure, Spencer has helped the Board launch of the McGowan Fellows Program, a full scholarship program for ten second-year MBA candidates at leading universities. With her team and university partners, the McGowan Fund holds an annual Symposium on Business Leadership & Ethics, with the overarching goal of raising the dialogue from corporate profitability only, to profitability, social impact, and responsibility.
In 2013, Spencer helped create a program to prevent early childhood obesity. Healthy Way to Grow, delivered by the American Heart Association, works with childcare providers and families to improve nutrition, hydration, screen time, and exercise. It is the first program launched simultaneously across all McGowan Fund communities.
Prior to her role at the McGowan Charitable Fund, Spencer served as the Director of External Relations at the University of Pittsburgh, where she educated the public and government about therapies in regenerative medicine.
Long-time supporter and Board Member Sue Gin McGowan, who passed away last year, and her late husband William McGowan were tireless partners in the Foundation’s efforts to engage and reach young people, and the professionals and parents who teach them. Generosity through the support of the William G. McGowan Charitable Fund has left an indelible mark, providing support for free educational programming to diverse audiences from across the nation and the world and helping the Archives share with the more than 1 million annual visitors from around the world the historical significance and modern relevance of the records of our democracy.
The 290-seat state-of-the-art William G. McGowan Theater is a critical component of the National Archives Museum. The theater allows the Archives to offer important year-round programming, such as lectures and panel discussions, book signings, films, workshops and symposia on a variety of topics, as well as the annual “McGowan Forum on Women in Leadership” and “McGowan Forum on Communications.” The expansion of the National Archives to both UStream and YouTube in recent years increased online viewership and audience reach, placing the William G. McGowan Theater in the digital world as a resource for civic learning.
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About the National Archives Foundation
The National Archives Foundation is an independent nonprofit that increases public awareness of the National Archives, inspires a deeper appreciation of our country’s heritage, and encourages citizen engagement in our democracy. The Foundation generates financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America’s records to people around the U.S. and the world. Learn more at: archivesfoundation.org.
About the National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent Federal agency that serves American democracy by safeguarding and preserving the records of our Government, so people can discover, use, and learn from this documentary heritage. The National Archives ensures continuing access to the essential documentation of the rights of American citizens and the actions of their government. From the Declaration of Independence to accounts of ordinary Americans, the holdings of the National Archives directly touch the lives of millions of people. The agency supports democracy, promotes civic education, and facilitates historical understanding of our national experience. The National Archives carries out its mission through a nationwide network of archives, records centers, and Presidential Libraries, and on the Internet at: archives.gov.
About the National Archives Museum
The National Archives Museum, created by the National Archives in partnership with the Foundation for the National Archives, has transformed the visitor experience at the National Archives’ Washington, DC, building, and includes the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom, the David M. Rubenstein Gallery and its Records of Rights permanent exhibition, the award-winning Public Vaults permanent gallery, the William G. McGowan Theater, the Lawrence F. O’Brien Gallery for special exhibits, the Boeing Learning Center, the Digital Vaults online exhibit, and the DocsTeach website. These components make the rich resources of the National Archives accessible to Americans nationwide.
