Steven Lubar
Director of the John Nicholas Brown Center and professor in the Department of American Studies
Telephone: 401 863 6115
Recent work includes Legacies: Collecting America’s History at the Smithsonian (Smithsonian Press, 2001; see Smithsonian Legacies on the Web) and “America on the Move” at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. His interests include the history of museums and memorials, material culture studies, and cultural theory in the study of history of technology. For more information on Professor Lubar, see the Department of American Studies web site, follow him on Twitter, or visit his blog.
For academic programs, the M.A. in public humanities, and fellowships, please contact Steven Lubar.
Ron M. Potvin
Assistant director and curator of the John Nicholas Brown Center
Telephone: 401 863 5312
Responsibile for plant and museum and archival collections. His museum experience includes working with fine and decorative arts, manuscripts, exhibitions, collections management, and historic sites. He serves on the board of directors of the New England Museum Association and the Curators Committee of the American Association of Museums and is chair of the CurCom Program Committee. His research interests include historic house museums and the changing nature of curatorship.
For museum collections inquiries, and property, please contact Ron M. Potvin.
Anne M. Valk
Associate director for programs of the John Nicholas Brown Center
Telephone: 401 863 1396
At the JNBC, Anne coordinates the Fox Point Oral History Project and works with local researchers and community members who are interested in community history. She teaches oral history and AMCV1550, works with students on practicums, and is involved in developing public programs. She recently published a collection of oral history interviews, Living with Jim Crow: African American Women and Memories of the Jim Crow South (Palgrave, 2010), using interviews housed at Duke University. Anne currently sits on the National Advisory Board of Imagining America and participates in the Engaged Scholars initiative at Brown University's Swearer Center.
For public programs, collaborative projects, and the public humanities practicum program, please contact Anne Valk.
Jenna Legault
Center Manager
Telephone: 401 863 1177
Jenna's background is in language & literature and she co-owns a small press independent bookshop in Providence. At the JNBC, Jenna is the liaison for Brown policies and proceedures, manages the Center's financial resources, the MA in public humanities graduate program, student employment and program aid opportunities, and, wtih Anne Valk, the Center's professional development programing. She also serves as web host.
For events, graduate program and admissions, visiting & general information, web feedback, and accounts, please contact Jenna Legault.