Council
The Council oversees and advises the Board.
Marianne Merriam is a retired Landscape Architect and Master Gardener. As President, she ran her landscape architectural design firm for 16 years in southern CA. She was a licensed landscape architect in both California and Nevada, working in multiple states in the US, the Caribbean, and China. Her expertise was in commercial and residential housing, mid-rise structures, estates, parks, and urban design projects. As both a proponent and advisor, she made frequent proposals and presentations to city, state, and federal-level governmental agencies. In 2010 she retired and moved to Reno, NV with her husband and their four horses. In Reno, she served as a member, President, Secretary, and Director at Large for the non-profit 501(c)3 Northern Nevada Horsemanship Association. She loves to travel and is active in equestrian and water sports. In September 2019 she was invited to serve on the Artifacts Committee for Friends of Oflag 64 and was an active member in helping gather, research, catalog, and ship artifacts to Szubin, Poland for use in the Szubin POW Camps Museum. In 2023 she joined the Executive Council of the Polish-American Foundation and now serves as Chairman.
Jan Karcz retired after 41 years of service in the United States Government. He served over 14 years in the Intelligence Community at CIA and in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Prior to joining CIA, he served over 26 years in the Army. Jan’s parents were both prisoners of war during World War II. His father served in the French Army and was held at Stalag IV B and his mother was a prisoner at Strafflager VI C after having fought in the Warsaw 1944 Uprising. His paternal grandfather was executed at Auschwitz on Jan 25th, 1943. As a member of the Council, Jan will honor the sacrifices and memories of the prisoners held there, his parents, and grandparents.
Adam Szpaderski
Adam Szpaderski jest profesorem zarządzania na Uniwersytecie SWPS w Warszawie, specjalizuje się w zarządzaniu strategicznym, prakseologii, modelach zarządzania muzeami i miejscami pamięci, zarządzaniu edukacją o Auschwitz, Holokauście i ludobójstwach oraz parametryzacji efektywności instytucji sektora dziedzictwa kulturowego. Kierownik Centrum Badań nad Ekonomiką Miejsc Pamięci, członek Międzynarodowej Rady Muzeów – ICOM, jak również główny konsultant Państwowego Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau w Oświęcimiu w dziedzinie strategii i zarządzania edukacją, przewodniczący Rady Muzeum Gross-Rosen w Rogoźnicy, doradca ds. strategii edukacyjnej Muzeum Stutthof w Sztutowie, główny konsultant ds. strategii i zarządzania edukacją Centralnego Muzeum Jeńców Wojennych, przewodniczący Rady Konsorcjum – Sieć „Liga Pamięci Jenieckiej”, kierownik i wykonawca wdrożeniowych projektów badawczych, członek towarzystw naukowych zajmujących się ekonomią, zarządzaniem i kulturą oraz laureat wielu nagród, w tym Medalu „Opiekun Miejsc Pamięci Narodowej”, Odznaki Honorowej „Zasłużony dla Kultury Polskiej”, Medalu 75 Lat Miejsca Pamięci Auschwitz-Birkenau i Medalu Muzeum Więzienia Pawiak. Od grudnia 2024 r. pełni funkcję zastępcy redaktora naczelnego rocznika „Muzealnictwo”.
Robert Thompson is a registered professional engineer, with 35 years experience in the water infrastructure domestic and international market sector. He has served in various operations and technology development roles, including Global Technology Leader for general industrials and Global Solutions Director for industrial water with his current employer. Robert holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering from Texas Tech University and a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Founder
A military spouse and former educator, Cindy is a Past President of the Northern Virginia Chapter of the Assistance League® and served on their national Board of Directors. Cindy received a BS in Education from the University of Maryland.