Gettysburg Foundation names new president
Joanne M. Hanley selected to lead national preservation organization

Gettysburg, Pa. (Nov. 29, 2010)— The Gettysburg Foundation today announced the selection of Joanne M. Hanley as president. She currently serves as general superintendent, National Parks of Western Pennsylvania—including Flight 93 National Memorial and Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Hanley will begin her new position Feb. 1, 2011.
“Ms. Hanley’s experience with National Park Service partnerships and nationally significant sites represents the perfect leadership mix for the Gettysburg Foundation,” said Foundation Chairman Robert A. Kinsley. “Her commitment to our nation’s history and her track record at nationally significant sites is a perfect complement to our important partnership at Gettysburg.”
The Gettysburg Foundation’s broad preservation mission includes the funding and operation of the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center as well as a long history of projects in the areas of land, monument and artifact preservation, battlefield rehabilitation and education.
“ I am deeply honored to be able to work to continue our nation’s legacy of remembrance in this new capacity at Gettysburg,” said Hanley. “ I hold the partnership between the public and private sector at Gettysburg – between the National Park Service, the Gettysburg Foundation, and the other partners – in high esteem. What has been created there is an amazing testimony to cooperation and collaboration that must continue to succeed. ”
Hanley’s previous positions include: Superintendent of Women’s Rights National Historical Park (Seneca Falls, NY), Interpretive Planner, National Capital Regional Office; Site Manager, Glen Echo and Clara Barton National Historical Sites (Glen Echo, Md.); Concessions Management Specialist, George Washington Memorial Parkway; International Cooperation Specialist, Office of International Affairs; Natural Resource Specialist, Mt. Rainier National Park; and Environmental Specialist, Denver Service Center.
“Having worked with the staffs and the community on behalf of Gettysburg’s preservation, it was quickly evident that Joanne’s vision and respect for our nation’s history makes her the perfect complement to our partnership and the daily operations of the Gettysburg Foundation, ” said Foundation Vice Chair Barbara J. Finfrock.
Hanley holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Long Island University, Southampton, New York and a master’s degree in environmental science from Washington State University.
“While we will be sad to see her leave, Joanne’s immense experience in working with partners and foundations, coupled with her knowledge of the Park Service, will serve both the Foundation and Gettysburg National Military Park well in the years ahead,” said National Park Service Northeast Regional Director Dennis R. Reidenbach.

The Gettysburg Foundation is a private, non-profit educational organization working in partnership with the National Park Service to enhance preservation and understanding of the heritage and lasting significance of Gettysburg. The Foundation raised funds for and now operates the Museum and Visitor Center at Gettysburg National Military Park, which opened in April 2008. In addition to operating the Museum and Visitor Center, the Foundation has a broad preservation mission that includes land, monument and artifact preservation and battlefield rehabilitation—all in support of the National Park Service’s goals at Gettysburg.
For information about the Foundation, about visiting Gettysburg, or how you can become a part of the history of Gettysburg through your contribution, visit http://www.gettysburgfoundation.org or call 877-874-2478 or the administrative offices at 717-338-1243.
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Dru Anne Neil
Director of Marketing and Communications
Gettysburg Foundation

As Tom notes, the deal never passed the “sniff” test. If the only reason Latschar requested the review was to save himself from being unemployed a few months down the road, I don’t see how you can say that reflects positively on Latschar – other than to demonstrate that he is politically astute and could see the writing on the wall. And I don’t think any of us every questioned whether he was smart – the question is whether he has a good sense of ethics.

To be honest, when you study ethics in the context of law and government, things are not always clear. But one of the things you always strive for is to avoid “even the appearance of impropriety.” This deal never passed that test, and it should have been obvious to Mr. Latschar from the beginning that it did not. He has been in government service for a very long time.

But just-in-case transition planning began long before Election Night, and given the earlier scandals at Interior, you had to imagine that department was destined for some extra ethics-related scrutiny during the transition. And when the news of the proposed Laschar move to the Foundation came out in October, it was likely added to the list of items the incoming administration wanted to review as soon as it could.

Either way it reflects positively on Latschar.

If Latschar did call for the review, good for him, but perhaps it was simply because he didn’t want to run the risk of getting that call, a few months after making the switch, telling him that he was going to have to resign from his new position.

I support the guys efforts on rehabbing the field 100%, (though I can nit pick Colt Park and Stevens Knoll.)….but personally, I thought it was tremendously ballsy to publically defend a 387K gig with the Foundation and then slip seamlessly into the job yourself? Whatever the truth may be seems almost irrelevant…..it just looks bad, and you know what they say about perception.

Sounds like somebody in DC came to the same conclusion.