The Talbot County Historical Society is excited to announce new additions to our Board of Directors for our 2020-2021 year.  This has certainly been a year like no other, but your Society has been working throughout 2020 to plan for an exciting return in 2021!  When we are able to reopen please plan to come to your Historical Society to:

1. See our new permanent African American exhibit room and
2. View samples from our collection of 60,000+ photographs in our beautifully redesigned/updated exhibit hall or
3. Take time for research in our updated and easily accessible Hill Research Center or
4. View our increased exhibit space, all dedicated to Talbot County history and
5. Tour the beautiful grounds and gardens

Joining (and, in some cases, rejoining) our Board are:

Cathy Hill – Cathy graduated from Centreville High School and the University of Delaware. In 1968 Cathy married Easton native Thomas E. Hill, investment advisor with Morgan Stanley, and has resided in Easton for 52 years. Ancestors on both sides of her family came to Talbot County in the 1600’s. Cathy and Tom have 2 children, Brad and Jennifer, and 5 grandchildren. She has served on the YMCA Board, Christ Church Easton Vestry and previous terms on the Talbot Historical Society Board. Cathy has managed the Talbot Historical Society’s Facebook page for 7 years and ran the estimated 60,000 photo digitizing project which recently was completed by grant funded employee Patti Rockwell.

Alison Irvin – Alison and her husband Doug moved to the Eastern shore in 2015. After recently retiring from the field of healthcare education in NY and NJ, she started volunteering for the Talbot Historical Society in 2018, following her passion for history and preservation efforts in the area.  She has volunteered as well for CASA in Easton and for the Oxford Community Theater.  She also enjoys visiting her grown children and grandchildren in California whenever possible.

Bill Lane – Bill was born in Talbot County and is a past president of the Society. He retired from a career in the local insurance industry as an agent with Avon Dixon. Bill is now devoting his time to his family, Habitat for Humanity, carpentry projects, cruising the Bay, and sailing.  He looks forward to the opportunity to be working with the board and the fine members at the Historical Society. Bill has two grandchildren in the area and keeps busy with them and their activities.

Alan I. Silverstein, IOM – Al is a Strategic Partner at the Gladstone Group, LLC, a team of consultants for Not – For -Profit organizations on good to great initiatives, strategic planning, strategic thinking; and counsel on leadership, governance, and management challenges and opportunities.  He has served 38 years as an Association Executive serving four chambers of commerce and the last twenty years as President & CEO of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce and as the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Leadership Foundation.  Al has a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from the University of Northern State in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Since joining the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce, Al has served the Talbot County Council as an appointee of the  Talbot County Economic Development Commission (Serving as its Chairman), Talbot County Office of Tourism, Talbot Family Network and Upper Shore Transportation Advisory Group. He is a member of the Mid-Shore Regional Council CEDS Committee. He has been a Rotarian for 36 years and a 20-year member of the Rotary Club of Easton.  Additionally, Al served as president of Eastern Shore Heritage, Inc., a certified regional heritage organization. He served on the Maryland State Chamber Legislative Committee seventeen years and was elected in 2001 as a board member of the Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (MACCE). He was elected president of MACCE in January 2003 and served 2003-2004 as a board member of the Maryland State Chamber of Commerce representing the MACCE membership.  In 2009, his chamber peers honored Al Silverstein as “Chamber Executive of the Year.”  Silverstein is a 2000 graduate of the Shore Leadership program.  Al was elected to the Easton Town Council Ward 1 in May 2015 and re-elected to a second term in May 2019. Silverstein and his wife Karen reside in Easton, MD.  They have one son Brandon and his wife Suzanne who also reside in Easton, MD.

Christian Chute – Originally from Connecticut, Christian moved to the Eastern Shore in 2004.  He is a practicing, licensed architect who has a graduate degree in 18th and 19th century American furniture.  Christian has served on the board of the Saint Michaels Museum and the Saint Michaels Historic District Commission and is excited to join the team at the Historical Society.  He currently lives in Easton with his wife and two children.