Guillen and Howell Join Board, Jobe Succeeds Akre as President

The Decorative Arts Trust is pleased to welcome new Governors on our Board and to announce some updates to our roster of Officers.

Nalleli Guillen

Nalleli Guillen will join the Trust’s Board in 2022. Nalleli is the Associate Director of Curation and Exhibition at Minnetrista Museum and Gardens in Muncie, IN. She holds a PhD from the History of American Civilization program at the University of Delaware (UD) and a master’s degree from UD’s Winterthur Program in American Material Culture. A curator and historian, Nalleli is a specialist in 19th-century America and material and visual culture. Having previously held positions at the Brooklyn Historical Society and Winterthur, Nalleli is committed to promoting a more inclusive and equitable American story and diversifying historical narratives. Nalleli shares that she has admired the Trust’s advocacy and support of young professionals since her time in the Winterthur Program. She hopes to contribute a valuable alternative perspective on our field and be involved in discussions on the direction of scholarship in the future.

Margize Howell

New Board Governor Margize Howell recently retired from Classical American Homes Preservation Trust (CAHPT) as Co-President, previously serving as the curator for the corporate collections of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), having worked with DLJ and CAHPT founder Dick Jenrette since 1984. She served as President of the American Friends of Attingham and the Association of Professional Art Advisors, and she is also a member of the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA) Advisory Board and the Historic House Trust Director’s Council. Margize graduated from the University of Virginia and Sotheby’s Art Institute and resides in New York City. Margize hopes to contribute to the Trust’s efforts to promote the work of emerging scholars. She has enjoyed Trust programs, both domestic and abroad, and lauds the Trust’s high standards of access to private collections, informed speakers and guides, and amazing itineraries.

After an impressive tenure as Board President, Charles T. Akre Jr. remains on the Board as a Governor starting in 2022. Chuck is the Managing Member, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Investment Officer at Akre Capital Management in Middleburg, VA, which he founded in 1989 after 21 years in the securities business at NYSE member firm Johnston, Lemon & Co. Chuck joined the Trust’s Board of Governors in 2012, served as Treasurer 2013–2016, and was President since 2017. Chuck and his wife Deanna joined the Trust in 2005 and have enjoyed many of the Trust’s Study Trips Abroad and symposia.

Brock W. Jobe succeeds Chuck as the new Board President. Brock is a professor emeritus, for the Winterthur Museum Office of Academic Programs. He has served on the Board since 1988 and has been a Trust member since 1992. A renowned author and speaker, Brock regularly engages and impresses Trust members with lectures at symposia and has spearheaded three Study Trips Abroad to the United Kingdom.

Margaret B. Pritchard fills Brock’s place as Board Vice President. Margaret is Colonial Williamsburg’s Deputy Chief Curator. She began her Board service in 1999 and has enjoyed Trust membership since 1997.

Robert A. Leath rotates off the Trust’s Board after an impressive eight-year tenure as Education Committee Chair. During this time, Robert charted a five-year expansion plan in conjunction with a capital campaign to raise much-needed endowment funds for the Trust’s Emerging Scholars Program. We hope that Robert will return to the Board following a brief hiatus!

The Trust looks forward to another successful and resilient year with the leadership and insight of our supportive Board of Governors.