Current Leadership
2024-2025 Officers
President: Lindsey Meza
Lindsey Meza (she/her) is in her second and final year as a graduate student in the Public History MA program. Originally from Lake in the Hills, IL, Lindsey was ecstatic to come back to the Chicago area to continue her studies. She is very passionate about the history of Latinas in the city, inspired by her grandma who immigrated to Chicago from Ecuador in the 1980s. As part of the board, Lindsey is looking forward to fostering community amongst students and encouraging connections between them and the city.
Vice President: Minela Muminovic
Minela Muminovic (she/her) is a second year History MA student. Minela’s research interests include medieval history, ancient history, and the history of religion. She is fluent in seven languages: Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Slovenian, Russian, Slovak, and French, and she’s currently learning three more languages: Latin, ancient Greek, and German.
Secretary: Lia Thibault
Lia Thibault (they/them) is a history MA student originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They specialize in transnational history, anticolonial history, the history of foreign affairs and diplomacy, and social and cultural history. As secretary, they're excited to help people build connections and create a close community within the department and the broader historical field.
Media Coordinator: Marin Burke
Marin Burke (she/her) is a second year Public History MA student. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she earned a bachelor’s in history and Latin American Studies from the University of Tampa. Marin’s academic interests include textiles and women’s material culture, migration studies, borderlands history, and the modern Southeastern United States. As Media Coordinator, she’ll be found promoting all things HGSA via @luc.hgsa on Instagram!
Treasurer and Conference Committee Co-Chair: Connor Barnes
Connor Barnes (he/him) is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Public and American History. Connor specializes in urban history, the history of education, and public history. This past summer, he worked at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, where he cooked historically significant recipes and shared them with the public.
Conference Committee Co-Chair: Eleanor Carter
Eleanor is a second-year PhD student in the joint American history & public history program. She hails from the small mountain town of Ashland, Oregon, and obtained her BA from Vassar College in Upstate New York. Eleanor’s research interests include the intersection of public memory, intellectual/cultural history, and the American West. She is also a voracious consumer of music, an aspiring ultra runner, and lover of all things beer.
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Anthony Stamilio
Anthony Stamilio is a US History and Public History PhD student at Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on the influence of celebrity on political culture and identity in the nineteenth century with a concentration on Theatre during the Civil War era. Originally from New Orleans, Anthony moved to Chicago to study acting at the Chicago College of Performing Arts after which he performed in dozens of plays in the Midwest. In 2020, he graduated with an MA in Public History before pursuing a PhD, and he is devoted to interpretation, preservation, and production of history.
Past HGSA Officers and Committee Chairs
2024-2025
President: Lindsey Meza
Vice President: Minela Muminovic
Treasurer: Connor Barnes
Secretary: Lia Thibault
Media Coordinator: Marin Burke
Chairs, Conference Committee: Connor Barnes and Eleanor Carter
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Anthony Stamilio
Chair, Public History Committee:
2023-2024
President: Kaylee Morlan
Vice President: Hannah Fuller
Treasurer: Yujay Masah
Secretary: Grace Tony
Media Coordinator: Jonathan White
Chairs, Conference Committee: Haley Carlton and Yujay Masah
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
Chair, Public History Committee:
2022-2023
President: Liz Ferry
Vice President: Rachel McGough
Treasurer: Caroline Lauber
Secretary: Shannon Honl
Media Coordinator: Yujay Masah
Chairs, Conference Committee:
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
Chair, Public History Committee:
2021-2022
President:
Vice President:
Treasurer:
Secretary:
Media Coordinator:
Chairs, Conference Committee:
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
Chair, Public History Committee:
2020-2021
President: Scarlett Andes
Vice President: Rachel Madden
Treasurer: Casey Terry
Secretary: Miranda Ridener
Media Coordinator: Ve’Amber Miller
Co-Chair, Conference Committee: Erin Witt
Chair, Public History Committee: (Elizabeth) Lizzy Schmidt
Chairs, Dissertation Writing Group: Nathan Ellstrand and Jenny Clay
Chair, Immigration Advocacy Program: Hannah Lahti
2019-2020
President: Anthony Stamilio
Vice President: Emily Paige Taylor
Treasurer: Hannah Overstreet
Secretary: Davis Stubblefield
Media Coordinator: Alicia Zeimet
Chair, Conference Committee: Cate LiaBraaten
Chairs, Dissertation Writing Group: Nathan Ellstrand and Jenny Clay
Chair, Public History Committee: Keegan Sims
Chair, Immigration Advocacy Project: Alicia Zeimet
2018-2019
President: Emily Davis
Vice President: Cate LiaBraaten
Treasurer: Sean Jacobson
Secretary: Emily Muszynski
Media Coordinator: Anna Claspy
Chairs, Conference Committee: Alexandra Gradwohl and Sean Jacobson
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Katherine Macica
Chairs, Public History Committee: Kelly Schmidt, Angela Rothman
Chairs, Historians for a Just Society: Lisa Hartman and Kristin Jacobsen
2017-2018
President: Ella Wagner
Vice President: June Coyne
Treasurer: Marie Pellissier
Secretary: Kate Johnson
Media Coordinator: Kristin Jacobsen
Chairs, Conference Committee: Matthew Amyx and Charis Caputo
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Katherine Macica
Chair, Public History Committee: Kelly Schmidt
Chair, Public History Lab: Karen Sieber
Chairs, Historians for a Just Society: Nathan Ellstrand and Stephen Petrie
2016-2017
President: Kelly Schmidt
Vice President: Ruby Oram
Treasurer: Shannon Pimmel
Secretary: Megan Bordewyk
Media Coordinator: June Coyne
Chairs, Conference Committee: Julia Lacher and Shannon Pimmel
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Katherine Macica
Chair, Public History Committee: Ella Wagner
Chair, Public History Lab: Hope Shannon
2015-2016
President: Hope Shannon
Vice President: Fazila Kabahita
Treasurer: Kelly Schmidt
Secretary: Maggie McClain
Media Coordinator: Lauren O'Brien
Chairs, Conference Committee: Fazila Kabahita and Amelia Serafine
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Katherine Macica
Chair, Public History Committee: Ruby Oram
Chair, Public History Lab: Katherine Macica
2014-2015
President: Katherine Macica
Vice President: Samantha Smith
Treasurer: Hope Shannon
Secretary: Jennifer Pederson
Media Coordinator: Adam Widera
Chairs, Conference Committee: Hope Shannon and Adam Widera
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Amy Oberlin
Chair, Public History Committee: William Ippen
2013-2014
President: Rachel Boyle
Vice President: Pamela Johnson
Treasurer: Katherine Macica
Secretary: Kim Connelly Hicks
Media Coordinator: Aaron Brunmeier
Chairs, Conference Committee: Aaron Brunmeier and Katherine Macica
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Amy Oberlin
Chair, Public History Committee: Chelsea Denault
2012-2013
President: Amelia Serafine
Vice President: Gregory Ruth
Treasurer: Laura Johns
Secretary: Grace Pekar
Media Coordinator: Rachel Boyle
Chair, Conference Committee: Laura Johns
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Amy Oberlin
Chair, Public History Committee: Anne Cullen
2011-2012
President: Peter Kotowski
Vice President: Steven Catania
Treasurer: Christopher Ramsey
Secretary: Amelia Serafine
Media Coordinator: William Ippen
Chairs, Conference Committee: Peter Kotowski
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Amy Oberlin
2010-2011
President: Justin Dickerson
Vice President: Andrew Altepeter
Treasurer: Brooke Wibracht
Secretary: Peter Kotowski
Media Coordinator: Paige Halpin
Chair, Conference Committee: Justin Dickerson
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Amy Oberlin
2009-2010
President: Susan Garneau
Vice President: Steven Catania
Treasurer: Megan Stout
Secretary: Peter Kotowski
Media Coordinator:
Chair, Conference Committee: Susan Garneau
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
2008-2009
President: Stella Ress
Vice President: Melissa Cushing-Davis
Treasurer: Megan Stout
Secretary: Elizabeth Matelski
Media Director: Albert Vogt III
Chair, Conference Committee: Stella Ress
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
2007-2008
President: Jason Myers
Vice President: Stella Ress
Treasurer: Lisa Davis
Secretary: Abbey Cullen
Media Director: Maria Reynolds
Chair, Conference Committee: Jason Myers
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
2006-2007
President: Elizabeth Hoffman
Vice President: Jason Myers
Treasurer: Stella Ress
Secretary: Jessica Ostrom
Media Director: Maria Reynolds
Chair, Conference Committee: Elizabeth Hoffman
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group:
2005-2006
President: Jennifer Searcy
Vice President: Elizabeth Hoffman
Treasurer: Jason Myers
Secretary: Jennifer Bridge
Chair, Conference Committee: Jennifer Searcy
2004-2005
President: Dejan Kral
2024-2025 Officers
President: Lindsey Meza
Lindsey Meza (she/her) is in her second and final year as a graduate student in the Public History MA program. Originally from Lake in the Hills, IL, Lindsey was ecstatic to come back to the Chicago area to continue her studies. She is very passionate about the history of Latinas in the city, inspired by her grandma who immigrated to Chicago from Ecuador in the 1980s. As part of the board, Lindsey is looking forward to fostering community amongst students and encouraging connections between them and the city.
Vice President: Minela Muminovic
Minela Muminovic (she/her) is a second year History MA student. Minela’s research interests include medieval history, ancient history, and the history of religion. She is fluent in seven languages: Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Slovenian, Russian, Slovak, and French, and she’s currently learning three more languages: Latin, ancient Greek, and German.
Secretary: Lia Thibault
Lia Thibault (they/them) is a history MA student originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They specialize in transnational history, anticolonial history, the history of foreign affairs and diplomacy, and social and cultural history. As secretary, they're excited to help people build connections and create a close community within the department and the broader historical field.
Media Coordinator: Marin Burke
Marin Burke (she/her) is a second year Public History MA student. Originally from Tampa, Florida, she earned a bachelor’s in history and Latin American Studies from the University of Tampa. Marin’s academic interests include textiles and women’s material culture, migration studies, borderlands history, and the modern Southeastern United States. As Media Coordinator, she’ll be found promoting all things HGSA via @luc.hgsa on Instagram!
Treasurer and Conference Committee Co-Chair: Connor Barnes
Connor Barnes (he/him) is a 2nd year Ph.D. student in Public and American History. Connor specializes in urban history, the history of education, and public history. This past summer, he worked at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield, Illinois, where he cooked historically significant recipes and shared them with the public.
Conference Committee Co-Chair: Eleanor Carter
Eleanor is a second-year PhD student in the joint American history & public history program. She hails from the small mountain town of Ashland, Oregon, and obtained her BA from Vassar College in Upstate New York. Eleanor’s research interests include the intersection of public memory, intellectual/cultural history, and the American West. She is also a voracious consumer of music, an aspiring ultra runner, and lover of all things beer.
Chair, Dissertation Writing Group: Anthony Stamilio
Anthony Stamilio is a US History and Public History PhD student at Loyola University Chicago. His research focuses on the influence of celebrity on political culture and identity in the nineteenth century with a concentration on Theatre during the Civil War era. Originally from New Orleans, Anthony moved to Chicago to study acting at the Chicago College of Performing Arts after which he performed in dozens of plays in the Midwest. In 2020, he graduated with an MA in Public History before pursuing a PhD, and he is devoted to interpretation, preservation, and production of history.
Past HGSA Officers and Committee Chairs