Lance Wheeler Email & Phone Number

Support food fellows to deepen their understanding and analysis of Black, Brown, and Indigenous histories, build connections to truths and legacies of people and places, and curate their own learning; serve as a brain trust partner to help promote fellows’ ideas and goals.Develop, implement, and facilitate in-person and virtual programming to educate fellows on howto own their stories and the importance and impact of storytelling.Foster an inclusive and collaborative environment… Show more Support food fellows to deepen their understanding and analysis of Black, Brown, and Indigenous histories, build connections to truths and legacies of people and places, and curate their own learning; serve as a brain trust partner to help promote fellows’ ideas and goals.Develop, implement, and facilitate in-person and virtual programming to educate fellows on howto own their stories and the importance and impact of storytelling.Foster an inclusive and collaborative environment where fellows can share experiences, insights, and strategies, encouraging peer-to-peer learning and mutual support.Provide individualized mentorship and guidance to fellows, helping them navigate challenges, refine their visions, and leverage resources for their projects.Organize networking opportunities and partnerships with organizations, community leaders, and experts to expand fellows' professional networks and amplify their impact. Show less

Develop, implement, facilitate, and supervise in-person and virtual programming, social media management, and content creation to educate audiences on the life and legacy of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, while engaging communities in productive conversations around race, Black resistance, healthcare, and equity.Employ innovative approaches to education and public programs through collaborations withmultidisciplinary organizations. Connected the institution with Lobaki, a virtual reality (VR)… Show more Develop, implement, facilitate, and supervise in-person and virtual programming, social media management, and content creation to educate audiences on the life and legacy of Medgar and Myrlie Evers, while engaging communities in productive conversations around race, Black resistance, healthcare, and equity.Employ innovative approaches to education and public programs through collaborations withmultidisciplinary organizations. Connected the institution with Lobaki, a virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) company, to tell the Evers story on a digital platform.Participate on grant-writing committees. Was awarded a $100,000 grant from the W.K. KelloggFoundation in 2021.Facilitate connections between funders and fundraising organizations (i.e., The Compass Group)and the Institute to assist in the planning, direction, and implementation of fundraising efforts.Engage visitors of all ages and backgrounds in facilitated workshops, programs, and presentationsto bridge intergenerational gaps to enhance critical dialogue.Create program evaluations and reports for Executive Director and Board members to review.Conduct Board presentations and briefings for program calendar and strategic plan for potential collaborations and new target audiences for the fiscal year. Show less

Served as the lead Exhibition Expert on the museum expansion team, working on plans to create new exhibition spaces, including digital platforms, and to rebuild and refresh existing spaces.Shared content expertise in relation to the institution’s mission, vision, and strategic plan.Developed curatorial procedures and protocols to streamline incoming and outgoing exhibitions, including the Strategic Exhibition Plan and Collection Management Plan.Successfully led… Show more Served as the lead Exhibition Expert on the museum expansion team, working on plans to create new exhibition spaces, including digital platforms, and to rebuild and refresh existing spaces.Shared content expertise in relation to the institution’s mission, vision, and strategic plan.Developed curatorial procedures and protocols to streamline incoming and outgoing exhibitions, including the Strategic Exhibition Plan and Collection Management Plan.Successfully led grantmaking efforts, conducting in-depth research on topical issues, organizations, and projects.Delivered tailored grantmaking recommendations that aligned with institutional goals.Developed strategic partnerships with key stakeholders to elicit feedback on public programming, museum expansion ideas, community engagement strategies, and anecdotal accounts inviting voices and stories from the margins.Oversaw regular rotations of the Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection gallery (included curatorial responsibilities and work with guest curators).Developed and sustained a current, active partnership with Morehouse College of the Atlanta University Center’s Robert Woodruff Library Archives Research Center.Managed relationships with scholars, publishers, film companies, and others seeking access to proprietary institutional assets.Led interpretation development and facilitated focus groups and expert consultant conversations to gain insights and glean feedback on current historical narratives and visitor needs.Collaborated with other directors seeking collective involvement in the direction of organizational policies, procedures, and overall visibility. Show less

Guided and spearheaded pivotal conversations to fortify the impact of museums in confronting antisemitism and hate.Confronted the escalating reality of antisemitism and its wide-ranging threats to the entire American populace.Advocated for innovative methodologies to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred within museum settings.Delved into the distinctive roles of museums, exploring how they can uniquely cultivate comprehension and combat bigotry.Forged… Show more Guided and spearheaded pivotal conversations to fortify the impact of museums in confronting antisemitism and hate.Confronted the escalating reality of antisemitism and its wide-ranging threats to the entire American populace.Advocated for innovative methodologies to combat antisemitism and other forms of hatred within museum settings.Delved into the distinctive roles of museums, exploring how they can uniquely cultivate comprehension and combat bigotry.Forged collaborative endeavors to fortify the interconnected destiny of museums, communities, and the nation at large. Show less

Spearheaded planning and execution of diverse projects, defining project scopes, negotiating deliverables, and leading information gathering and stakeholder consultation activities.Consistently delivered projects on time, within budget, and at the highest quality, earning praisefrom senior stakeholders and achieving improvement in project efficiency.Led development of vision and plan for institutional priorities and activist partnerships forcommunity engagement, strategic… Show more Spearheaded planning and execution of diverse projects, defining project scopes, negotiating deliverables, and leading information gathering and stakeholder consultation activities.Consistently delivered projects on time, within budget, and at the highest quality, earning praisefrom senior stakeholders and achieving improvement in project efficiency.Led development of vision and plan for institutional priorities and activist partnerships forcommunity engagement, strategic collaborations, and education programs and exhibitions.Designed COVID-19 strategic plan for the facility to ensure accessibility to community membersand audiences. Shifted public programs and events to digital platforms to increase visibility andaccessibility to a global virtual audience.Developed and produced captivating press releases, high quality benchmarking, and informativeand direct messaging to enhance and elevate public engagement and audience experiences.Analyzed market trends to identify and determine target audiences and essential platforms.Facilitated educational programs utilizing Margaret Walker Center & COFO Civil RightsCenter’s collection and exhibition space.Key driver of planning, development, and facilitation of school, public and outreach programs; designed curriculum. Show less

Reported directly to and works closely with the Director of Two Mississippi Museums.Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of 8000 sq. ft. of permanent exhibit space and 4000 sq. ft. temporary exhibit space.Oversaw repairs, installation, and deinstallation of permanent and temporary exhibitions and its supply needs (i.e., equipment, staffing, volunteers).Created specialized programs that relate directly to the content of both museums, allowing for visitors to obtain… Show more Reported directly to and works closely with the Director of Two Mississippi Museums.Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of 8000 sq. ft. of permanent exhibit space and 4000 sq. ft. temporary exhibit space.Oversaw repairs, installation, and deinstallation of permanent and temporary exhibitions and its supply needs (i.e., equipment, staffing, volunteers).Created specialized programs that relate directly to the content of both museums, allowing for visitors to obtain an overarching, conceptualized understanding of more than 15,000 years of state history from 13,000 B.C. to the present and 31 years of history related to the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi from 1945-1976.Evaluated current and past program budgets to justify new budget requests and allocated funds based on spending priorities and projected event outcomes.Developed, implemented, and evaluated engaging programs and initiatives in partnership with internal and external partners.Trained and supervised ambassadors (docents) on best practices for enhancing the visitor experience.Handled and oversaw day-to-day operations and administrative duties of the office including but not limited to answering phones, keeping up-to-date filing and organization of pertinent documents and records, prompt email correspondence, tracking/monitoring.Assisted staff with logistical arrangements for public programs, meetings, conferences, trips, and other activities related to various public programs.Evaluated program effectiveness by collecting and reporting on program feedback/comment cards, recommending program changes where necessary.Maintain and monitored personal and director appointments/events calendars electronically through Microsoft Outlook for Office. Show less

Jackson, Mississippi Area

Reported directly to and works closely with the Director of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.Developed, implemented, and evaluated engaging programs and initiatives in partnership with internal and external partners.Developed and executed public programs with historical and educational contexts that reach local, state, national and international audiences.Handled and oversaw day-to-day operations and administrative duties of the office including but not limited to… Show more Reported directly to and works closely with the Director of the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.Developed, implemented, and evaluated engaging programs and initiatives in partnership with internal and external partners.Developed and executed public programs with historical and educational contexts that reach local, state, national and international audiences.Handled and oversaw day-to-day operations and administrative duties of the office including but not limited to answering phones, keeping up-to-date filing and organization of pertinent documents and records, prompt email correspondence, tracking/monitoring progress of tours, assessing staffing needs within museum galleries.Interacted with more than 300,000 visitors through informative, thematic guided tours of the 8 galleries inside the museum space.Assisted staff with logistical arrangements for public programs, meetings, conferences, trips and, other activities related to various public programs.Trained and supervised ambassadors (docents) on best practices for enhancing the visitor experience.Attended staff, board and, project meetings and disseminates follow-up minutes and summaries.Evaluated program effectiveness by collecting and reporting on program feedback/comment cards, recommending program changes where necessary.Coordinated with the director to monitor monetary obligations and expenditures for programs.Maintained and monitored personal and director appointments/events calendars electronically through Microsoft Outlook for Office. Show less

Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area

Reported directly to and worked closely with the lead instructor in the classroom setting.Assisted the instructor with lesson planning by assembling materials and setting up equipment that enhanced day-to-day student learning competencies, coursework, and curriculum.Tutored and assisted children individually or in small groups to master assignments and reinforce learning concepts.Developed and implemented strategies to meet the needs of students with various… Show more Reported directly to and worked closely with the lead instructor in the classroom setting.Assisted the instructor with lesson planning by assembling materials and setting up equipment that enhanced day-to-day student learning competencies, coursework, and curriculum.Tutored and assisted children individually or in small groups to master assignments and reinforce learning concepts.Developed and implemented strategies to meet the needs of students with various disabilities.Created Individual Educational Plans (IEPs) to promote students’ educational, physical, and social development.Developed strategies that aided students with a variety of disabilities in reaching their targeted learning outcomes.Strategized and implemented individual educational plans (IEPs) designed to promote students’ educational, physical, and social development. Show less

Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area

North Carolina Runaway Advertisements Project:Conducted extensive research on microfilm to locate slave advertisements from North Carolina newspapers dating from 1751 to 1840.Scanned advertisements to produce high-quality digital images.Created comprehensive full-text transcripts and detailed descriptive metadata.Transcribed historical texts into a searchable digital format, ensuring accessibility and accuracy.

Kannapolis, North Carolina

Remembering George Washington Carver High School Project:Conducted in-depth research assessing the history of African-Americans in the city of Kannapolis and the impact of George Washington Carver High School.Developed exhibitions that explored the history of the local high school and its role in that urban community as the epicenter for change, camaraderie, hope and a future. Collected and transcribed oral histories into written documents that were archived for future… Show more Remembering George Washington Carver High School Project:Conducted in-depth research assessing the history of African-Americans in the city of Kannapolis and the impact of George Washington Carver High School.Developed exhibitions that explored the history of the local high school and its role in that urban community as the epicenter for change, camaraderie, hope and a future. Collected and transcribed oral histories into written documents that were archived for future reference.Attended meetings related to the research project and disseminated follow-up minutes and summaries. Show less

Laurinburg, Nc

Played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of Growing Change’s prison farm exhibit design, contributing to every phase from initial brainstorming to the final reveal.Assisted staff in developing and implementing public programs aimed at attracting a diverse range of visitors to the exhibit.Delivered impactful lectures to community leaders and key stakeholders on the significance of Growing Change, its exhibit's impact on the community, and the historical context.

Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area

States of Incarceration Exhibition:Contributed to a national traveling exhibition on the history of mass incarceration, with a specific focus on North Carolina chain gangs in the 1920s.Reviewed exhibition budgets, meticulously tracking expenditures to maximize spending outcomes and strategically allocate funds according to priorities.Developed and implemented comprehensive marketing plans that successfully attracted over 1,000 visitors to the exhibition.Conducted… Show more States of Incarceration Exhibition:Contributed to a national traveling exhibition on the history of mass incarceration, with a specific focus on North Carolina chain gangs in the 1920s.Reviewed exhibition budgets, meticulously tracking expenditures to maximize spending outcomes and strategically allocate funds according to priorities.Developed and implemented comprehensive marketing plans that successfully attracted over 1,000 visitors to the exhibition.Conducted in-depth research and transcription of North Carolina chain gang letters.Established and maintained vital internal and external partnerships with organizations such as Artist 4 Justice, The New School Humanities Action Lab, and the National Endowment for the Humanities' Fifty Years.Developed and managed educational public programs that explored the profound impact of mass incarceration on individuals' daily lives in society.Created and maintained shared documents using Windows software, including Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel. Show less

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Sustainability Studies

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, History & Minor In Education Studies

Senior Thesis: "The Walls of Freedom: African American Resistance From Slavery to Jim Crow" This thesis thoroughly explored the ways.

Master Of Arts - Ma, History With A Concentration In Museum Studies

Capstone Project: "Community Memory: Remembering George Washington Carver High School" This exhibition explored the historical.