Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor (Blackstone Heritage Corridor) announces the hiring of Devon Kurtz as Project Coordinator for the Worcester Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Worcester, MA. In his new role, he will guide the programming, design, and promotion of the visitor center and promote the development and utilization of the site in concert with the adjacent Blackstone Gateway Park. This position is supported by the Blackstone Heritage Corridor and the College of the Holy Cross.
A Worcester resident, Devon has more than 15 years of experience in strategic marketing and visitor engagement for museums. Most recently, he was the Director of Education at the Higgins Armory Museum where he initiated a new museum ideal, incorporating a combined exhibit and interpretation mission; created a visitor-centered model of exhibit design; led traditional marketing initiatives and utilized digital media; and directed the conception, organization, and delivery of a broad range of formal educational programs to the public, specialized audiences, schools and colleges.
The Worcester Blackstone Visitor Center will be a gateway to the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and the city of Worcester. Coordinating with the surrounding redevelopment efforts by the city of Worcester and the College of the Holy Cross, the visitor center embraces the sense of heritage landscape, highlighting the natural and built environments, and integrates the history into the proposed building and landscape design, construction, and anticipated uses by the surrounding community.
About the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc.: Congress established the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor in 1986 to restore and preserve the nationally significant heritage of the Blackstone River Valley, where the industrialization of America began. The Blackstone Heritage Corridor, Inc. has created a successful program of partnerships between federal, state and local government agencies, as well as nongovernment organizations pooling their resources and pursuing a common agenda of preservation and revitalization. Ongoing programs and projects include historic preservation, river cleanup, land conservation and stewardship, visitor centers, ranger walks, programs with schools, recreational programs and events, support for arts and cultural events, training for partners and volunteers and assistance to towns working to preserve their heritage while also improving the local and regional economy.
