Description: Estelle Beck, Head Switchboard Operator, 1960–77, led a small team of women who were responsible for fielding hundreds of daily calls to the Smithsonian. Beck also operated telephones at the Smithsonian for three years prior to World War II. #Groundbreaker
Description: Janet W. Solinger, Director of the Smithsonian Resident Associates Program, 1972-1992, helped expand the Smithsonian's continuing education program membership tenfold. In 1993, she served as Director of Special Projects, assisting with planning for the Smithsonian's 150th anniversary. #Groundbreaker
Description: Lee Woodman held many roles at the Smithsonian, including as Senior Advisor to the Director, Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, 2011–14; Executive Producer, Smithsonian Entertainment, Smithsonian Business Ventures, 1996–2000; and Manager of Multimedia, 1984–96. #Groundbreaker
Description: Linda Edquist, Conservator and Head of Preservation, National Postal Museum, 1993–2018, managed conservation projects, staff, and exhibitions at the museum. Edquist first arrived at the Smithsonian as a Conservation Technician at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, 1990–92. #Groundbreaker
Description: Deputy Chair of political history at the National Museum of American History, Lisa Kathleen Graddy, chooses artifacts to represent the American political landscape, and has curated popular exhibits on the first ladies and the women's suffrage movement. #Groundbreaker
Description: Lisa Stevens, National Zoological Park, was senior curator for mammals and managed all aspects of the giant panda program. In over thirty years at the Zoo she worked with more than thirty different species. #Groundbreaker
Description: Lydia Puccinelli-Robbins was the Curator of Collections at the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, 1979-99. But she had also been working as a registrar, educator, and curator with the Museum of African Art, 1966-79, before the collection was transferred to the Smithsonian. #Groundbreaker
Description: Magda J. Schremp, Docent Program Coordinator, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 1971–2007, led a team of volunteers, who were responsible for assisting with school programs, leading hands-on activities and programs, and guiding the visitors’ experiences as tour guides. #Groundbreaker
Description: Mary A. Huffer led Smithsonian Libraries as Acting Director, 1964–67, and Assistant Director, 1968–72. During her tenure, she welcomed automation for cataloging and purchasing in the newly-formed central library system. #Groundbreaker
Description: Chief curator of the National Postal Museum’s history department, Nancy Pope has been a prolific writer popularizing postal history with fascinating stories and exhibits on zip codes, postal transportation, and postal mascots & workers! #Groundbreaker
Description: Senior Curator and Historian Portia James (1953-2015) pioneered a community-based approach at the Anacostia Community Museum and led the exhibitions, publications and collections programs. She researched African American material culture. #Groundbreaker