Staff Directory
Catherine Hughes, Ph.D.
Executive Director
chughes@morrisjumel.org
Catherine recently celebrated three years at the Morris-Jumel Mansion. She is excited about the next three years, during which the Exterior Restoration & Accessibility Project will transform the exterior of the Mansion back to its original grandeur. She is dedicated to continuing to broaden the narrative told at MJM and connecting to the community. Prior to moving to New York City, Catherine was the ED for the Howard County Historical Society in Kokomo, Indiana. Previously, Catherine was Director of Interpretation at Conner Prairie in Indiana, a large living history site, and Project Director at the Atlanta History Center in Georgia. She has written and lectured extensively. Catherine has a PhD from the Ohio State University in Education with a theatre focus, and is the author of Museum Theatre: Communicating with Visitors Through Drama. She founded the International Museum Theatre Alliance (IMTAL), a networking organization. Catherine is originally from Boston and began her career at the Museum of Science, Boston.
Danielle Gaita
Public Programs & Visitor Services Manager
dgaita@morrisjumel.org
As a New Jersian who has spent the past few years in museums in Washington, DC, Danielle feels extremely lucky to be back in the area she grew up in and working in a historic house with such rich history. With an educational background in Anthropology from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, she brings an approach that emphasizes culture and humans, both then and now, to museum spaces. Danielle is passionate about the unique ability museums have to teach anyone who comes in contact with them, no matter their background or learning style. When not exploring other museums, Danielle can be found working through her “to be read” pile of books or trying new restaurants or recipes.
