National History Day

Kim Fortney, M.A.
Deputy Director

Kim Fortney is the deputy director of National History Day, Inc. (NHD).

She joined NHD in August 2009 after 13 years with the Heritage Center of Lancaster County in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and 19 years as a member of the extended NHD family. As vice president of the Heritage Center of Lancaster County, Kim directed all aspects of educational programming for teachers, students and adults. In her position, she coordinated a thriving regional competition of National History Day and served on the advisory board for National History Day in Pennsylvania. However, her love for NHD began even earlier. While teaching in 1990, she coached students in the creation of NHD entries, and during graduate school in 1995, she judged at a regional competition.

Kim is deeply committed to history education and informal learning and has made a name for herself in the museum education community. She is currently working as lead editor on a second edition to Building Museum and School Partnerships, originally edited by Beverly Sheppard and published in 1993. This anticipated update will be published by the American Association of Museums in May 2010.

Kim has presented on numerous occasions at professional conferences, including the American Association of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, the Pennsylvania Council for the Social Studies and the Middle States Council for the Social Studies. She currently serves as president of the board of directors for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums.

Kim received her M.A. in History and Museum Studies from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA), 1995, and her B.A. in History and Secondary Education from Westminster College (New Wilmington, PA), 1988.