Benjamin Prosky became President of the Foundation in 2023. With a degree in Urban Studies from Vassar College, followed by graduate work in Urban Planning at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Prosky has devoted his career to a range of projects dedicated to the promotion and interpretation of architecture and design. Previously he served for seven years as the Executive Director of American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture. He has held prior leadership roles at several prestigious academic institutions, serving as Assistant Dean for Communications at Harvard University Graduate School of Design and Director of Special Events and External Affairs at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. In earlier roles at international museums and cultural institutions, such as the Canadian Center for Architecture in Montreal, Canada, and the Institute français d’architecture in Paris, France, his work focused on developing public educational programs and exhibitions. He currently serves on the board of directors of NYCxDesign and the Association of Architecture Organizations (AAO). A Native New Yorker, Prosky divides his time between Brooklyn and Woodstock, New York.
Kevin Cherry has a history of remarkable leadership in public history and education. Prior to joining RHJF, Kevin served for nearly ten years as State Historian and Director of Archives and History for the State of North Carolina, overseeing historic sites, museums, and historic preservation efforts across the state. He led North Carolina’s digital learning initiative, NC ECHO, and assisted in development of the National Digital Stewardship Residency Program for the Library of Congress. Previously, he served as a senior program officer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), overseeing a $25 million annual grant program for libraries. In 2010, he earned his Ph.D. in Library and Information Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Kevin shapes RHJF’s educational vision. Collaborating with partners, he spearheads the development of immersive and innovative learning opportunities to serve public, professional, and academic communities.
In his curatorial career, Grant has worked at historic sites associated with four U.S. Presidents. As a student majoring in history and anthropology in Kentucky, he participated in excavations at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage. After graduate studies at the University of South Carolina, focused on the material culture of urban slavery in Columbia, he worked as the collections manager at James Monroe’s Ash Lawn-Highland, and then assistant curator at James Madison’s Montpelier during its major restoration and refurnishing project. Most recently, he served as Curator at Tudor Place, an 1816 house in Georgetown, D.C. Grant supervises the care and management of all Trust collections to ensure that they are accessible to a wide audience.
Will Hamilton
Director of Historic Preservation & Site Supervisor of Roper House
A South Carolina native, Will is a graduate of Wofford College and the Clemson/College of Charleston Program in Historic Preservation. For five years he apprenticed with Richard Marks Restorations and worked on a variety of 18th and 19th century buildings in historic Charleston. As Property Manager for Historic Charleston Foundation for eight years, he oversaw everything from maintenance to hurricane preparedness for the Nathaniel Russell and Aiken-Rhett Houses. As Director of Historic Preservation for RHJF, Will carefully manages important preservation projects across the sites, while assuming responsibility for the daily operations of Roper House.
Joe manages business operations to help the Foundation meet its mission and maximize its impact. He brings experience in research, publishing, and management in both the nonprofit and government sectors. He previously worked as Research Supervisor and Colonial Records Editor for the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and as a historian and Director of Research and Interpretive Education for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Originally from Virginia, Joe took a doctorate in early American history from the University of Florida.