Sherene Baugher is a professor emeritus in both Cornell University’s Department of Anthropology and the Landscape Architecture Department. Her degrees (BA, MA, and Ph.D.) are in anthropological archaeology. She was the first city archaeologist for New York City (1980-1990). She and her Cornell students worked with community partners, including Native Americans, to excavate, preserve, and interpret archaeological sites in Tompkins County.  She brings this commitment to community collaboration and outreach to her role as a trustee. She brings her background in museum studies to her work on both the History Center’s collections and exhibits committees. She has co-designed museum exhibits in New York City, for the museum at Robert H. Treman State Park, and in the 2024 exhibit on NYS Parks’ Centennial at the History Center. She was also a Trustee of the History Center from 2000 to 2005, bringing institutional memory.

Connie holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a B.A. and M.A. in Anthropology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She worked in museums for 23 years, specializing in archaeological research and publishing, historic preservation, collections care, exhibitions, and interpretive programs. Her work as a field archaeologist took place in the United States, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Micronesia in a variety of prehistoric and historic contexts.

Connie then applied this experience to her work as a federal grants administrator at the Institute of Museum and Library Services for 13 years. Her work was structured to strengthen the nation’s museums and libraries in their efforts to connect people to each other and to the universe of ideas and knowledge. She continues to advocate for these institutions as instrumental in bridging the gap between academic research and public understanding and as dynamic hubs for lifelong learning.

Lisabeth Chabot retired as the College Librarian at Ithaca College in May 2021 after serving in this role since 2003. She believes that communities are enhanced and sustained through documentation, dialog, and collaboration.  She has a lifelong interest in public history and maintains a membership in the Cincinnati (OH) Historic Preservation Association to support its work in her hometown.   She finds it personally rewarding to actively support the History Center in its work to provide diverse resources that promote intellectual curiosity and to develop programs and services that support the discovery, evaluation, and use of unique local materials.  

County Legislature and Author

Public Speaker and Curatorial Assistant

George Dillmann holds two master’s degrees in the social sciences, which has greatly spurred his interest in history. He’s taught college courses in peace studies, political science, and sociology. Since 2015 George and his spouse Dr. Beth Cohen have operated a private practice of psychology; Beth is the therapist, and George manages the office. From 2006-2014, George worked at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, including four years managing Adelson Library.

George began volunteering with The History Center in early 2018, assisting with packing artifacts for the move to the new location in the Tompkins Center for History and Culture, and stayed on to help with unpacking. In addition to serving as a Board member, he currently assists with projects in the archives of the research library.

When not working at his business or at The History Center, George is an avid runner, hiker, birdwatcher, reader, and gardener.

Investment Analyst and Trader, Tompkins Trust Company

Dr. Jeff Iovannone is a public historian whose personal and professional passion is the conservation of LGBTQ heritage through the built environment. He holds a PhD in American Studies from the University at Buffalo and an MA in Historic Preservation Planning and LGBT Studies from Cornell University. Iovannone has worked on several Tompkins County LGBTQ history-related projects, including a local landmark nomination for the building that housed the offices of Firebrand Books, a Firebrand Books historic marker on the Ithaca Commons, and a National Register of Historic Places nomination for the Lavender Hill Commune in Newfield.

Previous Town Historian for the Town of Ithaca

Ben Ortiz is the Assistant Curator for the Cornell Hip Hop Collection (CHHC), which is part of Cornell University Library's Rare and Manuscript Collections division. The CHHC is one of the world's most extensive research archives on Hip Hop music and culture.  Founded in 2007, it contains an estimated half-million individual artifacts.  Ben's primary responsibilities include community outreach, teaching, curating exhibitions, and assisting researchers and community members with access to the collection.

Dr. Michael Smith has taught history and environmental humanities at Ithaca College since 2001, and served on the History Center board since 2018.  A local history advocate, he has facilitated collaborations between the History Center and IC students for more than two decades.  In 2017 he coordinated a local history project in Nicaragua as part of a Fulbright-funded initiative.  He is an avid cyclist, runner, gardener, vegetarian cook, letter writer, and St. Louis Cardinals fan.

More information Upcoming

Corrie Root serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Downtown Ithaca Alliance, where she oversees internal operations, financial management, and organizational development. She brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership and holds a bachelor’s degree in History from Ithaca College. Corrie is honored to serve on the Board of Trustees of The History Center of Tompkins County and is committed to advancing its mission and long-term sustainability.