Staff Directory
Faye Jensen, Ph.D.
Executive Director
faye.jensen@schsonline.org
ext. 10
Born in Virginia, Faye Jensen received her B.A. from the University of Georgia and her Ph.D. from Emory University. She was trained as an archivist by the National Archives and Records Administration at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library. While at the Carter Library, Dr. Jensen focused on the papers of the First Lady and published “‘These are Precious Years,’ The Papers of Rosalynn Carter,” in Modern First Ladies: Their Documentary Legacy. Dr. Jensen taught history for nearly twenty years at several colleges and universities, including Perimeter College in Atlanta, the University of Alabama in Huntsville, and The Citadel. With an interest in the post-Civil War South, Dr. Jensen recently contributed a chapter to Making a New South, published by the University of Florida Press.
John Tucker
Assistant Director
john.tucker@schsonline.org
ext. 20
John Tucker is responsible for overseeing the business operations and finances at the South Carolina Historical Society. Born and raised in North Carolina, John is a graduate of North Carolina State University and has more than thirty-nine years management and supervisory experience with the National Park Service, state parks, and non-profit friend’s groups. He is responsible for financial management, human resources, information technology, and administrative operations for the Society. Prior to joining the Society in 2006, John was superintendent of Fort Sumter National Monument including Fort Moultrie and the Charles Pinckney National Historic Site. After retiring from the National Park Service in 2006, he and his wife chose to remain in the beautiful lowcountry.
Virginia (Ginny) Zemp
Director of Development
virginia.zemp@schsonline.org
ext. 22
Virginia (Ginny) Zemp grew up in Charleston. A graduate of Ashley Hall and the College of Charleston, she worked as a paralegal for more than a decade. She has lived all over the Palmetto State, including stints in Hilton Head, Beaufort, Georgetown, and Spartanburg. Ginny previously worked at the South Carolina Historical Society, handling programs and membership, and returned in 2011 to head up the Society’s new development department.
Halley Cella
Membership Coordinator
halley.cella@schsonline.org
ext. 13
Halley Cella manages the Historical Society’s membership program. Originally from New Bern, North Carolina, she received her B.A. in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008. After graduating, she spent three years working in development for the Charlotte Museum of History. Halley relocated to Charleston in 2011 to enjoy coastal living again.
Matthew A. Lockhart
Editor, South Carolina Historical Magazine
matthew.lockhart@schsonline.org
ext. 15
Matthew Lockhart is editor of the South Carolina Historical Magazine. Originally from Landrum, South Carolina, he holds a B.A. in history from Wofford College and an M.A. in history from the University of South Carolina, where he is presently pursuing a Ph.D. in history. Matthew’s articles and reviews have been published in the South Carolina Historical Magazine, the Georgia Historical Quarterly, the Public Historian, and the Southeastern Geographer. He also has contributed entries to The South Carolina Encyclopedia and The Encyclopedia of Southern Culture. Matthew chairs the George C. Rogers, Jr. Book Award and the Malcolm C. Clark Article Award Committees.
Lauren Nivens
Editor, Carologue
lauren.nivens@schsonline.org
ext. 15
Lauren Nivens is the editor of Carologue and also works with patrons in the research library. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Lauren holds a B.A. in historic preservation and community planning from the College of Charleston and an M.S. in historic preservation from the University of Vermont. Her previous experience in the historic preservation and publishing fields includes positions as National Historic Landmarks Program Intern with the National Park Service and Editorial Manager with BiblioLabs, where she managed publication of digital anthologies on historic and cultural topics.
Mary Jo Fairchild
Senior Archivist
maryjo.fairchild@schsonline.org
ext. 14
Mary Jo Fairchild oversees archival operations and works with patrons in the library. A native of West Virginia, Mary Jo moved to Charleston in order to attend college. After receiving bachelor’s degrees in anthropology and history, both from the College of Charleston, Mary Jo began working at the Society in 2007 while she was completing her M.A. in history from the joint program at the College of Charleston and The Citadel. Mary Jo is accredited by the Academy of Certified Archivists and will receive her MLIS from the University of South Carolina in the summer of 2013.
Karen Stokes
Processing Archivist
karen.stokes@schsonline.org
ext. 21
Karen Stokes has been an archivist with the Society since 1994. She has a B.A. in English from the College of Charleston and an M.S. in library and information science from the University of South Carolina. Her main focus is the processing and cataloging of our wonderful manuscript collection, and her primary area of interest is South Carolina in the Confederacy. She has published a number of articles on South Carolina history, and is the co-editor of Faith, Valor, and Devotion: The Civil War Letters of William Porcher Dubose, a collection of correspondence in our archives.
Michelle Sellars
Cataloging Librarian
michelle.sellars@schsonline.org
ext. 12
Michelle Sellars manages the cataloging of the Society’s book and pamphlet collections and works with patrons in the research library. A native of Richmond, Virginia, she holds a B.A. in religious studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of North Carolina,Greensboro. After graduating, Michelle trained in paper conservation techniques at Etherington Conservation Services before moving to Charleston with her husband. Michelle began volunteering at the Historical Society soon after arriving, becoming the library’s research assistant before moving to the position of cataloging librarian.
Virginia Ellison
Events and Outreach Archivist
virginia.ellison@schsonline.org
ext. 11
As our events and outreach archivist, Virginia Ellison manages and oversees events and programs hosted by the Society and also works with patrons in the SCHS reference library. She grew up in Marietta, Georgia and attended the College of Charleston, where she earned a B.S. in anthropology. She received her MLIS from the University of South Carolina in 2011 and attended the Georgia Archives Institute in June 2012. Virginia has a passion for Southern literature and history, nature, and animals. She left the Lowcountry for a brief time after college but was soon drawn back to Charleston, where she lives with her husband and their ever-entertaining pets.