Staff

Alicia M. Alexion
Executive Vice President

B. A., Penn State University
M. B.A., George Washington University
Certified Fundraising Professional (CFRE)

Alicia joined the Trust staff in September 2012 to support the President in setting strategic direction and implementing the daily operations of the Trust in its campaign to restore the National Mall.

Alicia came to the Trust after 20 years of management and development experience in the political and nonprofit arenas. Alicia has held staff and consulting positions with the Children’s Law Center, DC Chamber of Commerce, Girls Incorporated, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and World Food Program USA among others.

Fun Fact: Alicia, a native New Yorker, is the first person in her family’s history to ever live west of the Hudson River.

 

Robert L. Balthaser
Vice President, Development

B.A., Alvernia University
M.S., Education, University of Pennsylvania
Certified Fundraising Professional (CFRE) 

In his role with the Trust, Robert leads the development of and fundraising for a countrywide fundraising campaign to restore and improve our National Mall.

Robert came to the Trust in July of 2009 having served as the Director of the Campaign for Scholarships at the University of Maryland.  He previously served as the Director of Major Gifts at the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amFAR), the Director of External Affairs at New York University, and the Assistant Vice President for Philanthropy at Pace University.

Fun Fact: Robert grew up working in his family’s fourth-generation meat business.

 

Teresa Durkin
Senior Project Director

B.S., Temple University, Landscape Architecture
Registered Landscape Architect
Certified Environmental Planner
LEED AP

In her role as Senior Project Director, Teresa is the Trust’s representative and manager of the development projects on the National Mall as outlined in the National Mall Plan.

With over 18 years of project experience as a Landscape Architect, Planner, Vice President and Sustainable Design Leader, Teresa has worked on a wide range of projects of all scales that have included park planning, design and implementation; civic engagement and community planning; green infrastructure planning and project design; institutional master planning and program development; site and landscape design for sustainability; ecological restoration design and management guidelines. 

Ms. Durkin’s recent experience includes the National Mall and Howard University. Project achievements include the Lewes Canalfront Park in Lewes, Delaware, Venice Island Park and Recreation Center, Philadelphia, PA; Fairmount Park Comprehensive Trail Master Plans, Philadelphia, PA; Avalon Park & Preserve in Stony Brook, New York; Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn, New York; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Virginia Institute of Technology and Emory University. 

Fun Fact: Teresa speaks frequently on the subject of sustainable design and coauthored, “The Role of the Landscape in Creating A Sustainable Campus,” Planning for Higher Education v. 31 for the Society for College and University Planning. Other publications include “Sustainable Architecture for Health. We All Live Downstream”, Wiley Publishers and “Conservation Planning for Parks and Protected Open Space” for the APA Planning Standards.

 

Kristine Fitton
Vice President, Marketing and Communications

B.A., Political Science, College of the Holy Cross
M.A., Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University

As Vice President of Marketing and Communications is responsible for setting our public voice and helping shape our national campaign.

Kristine comes to the Trust from The Glover Park Group where she served first as Senior Vice President and most recently as Managing Director, where she was responsible for strategic development of new business proposals. In addition, Kristine has worked in the advertising world. She was Vice President of McCann-Erickson in New York concentrating on brand development and cross departmental communications and planning – all of which positions us well as we develop our cause-related marketing and our growing non-profit.

 

Katherine Gordon
Development Associate

A.B., Politics, Mount Holyoke College

In her role with the Trust, Kate manages the Women’s Committee and works with the L’Enfant Society.

Kate Gordon brings to the Trust donor development experience, having worked as Head Development Volunteer for Mount Holyoke College (her alma mater), as well as the Young Alumnae Development Committee. Just as important, Kate has entrepreneurial and corporate management experience, having owned and operated the Ice Cream Castle (Ocean City, Maryland), and serving as Associate Director of Mid-Atlantic Foods, Inc. Kate also brings a solid legislative experience, having  served as Staff Assistant for the House Armed Services Committee.  

Fun Fact: Kate is a Master Gardener for the District of Columbia and once had a summer job as an “interpretive weaver” at Furnace Town Historical Site.

 

Mary Heitman
Deputy Director of Development

B.S., Education, Bowling Green State University
M.S., Education, Southern Illinois University

As Deputy Director of Development, Mary oversees day-to-day management of the development team and manages our annual giving.

Mary has decades of experience fundraising in the political and non-profit arenas joining us most recently from consulting with non-profit and other organizations on marketing, communications and fundraising strategies. Mary also served as the Finance Director of the Republican National Committee. Her experience overseeing large fundraising operations will be important to us as we build our annual grassroots income stream.

 

Jenny Jones
Development Associate - Database and Contributions Manager

B.A., Anthropology and Sociology, Centre College

In her role at the Trust, Jenny supports all development initiatives through management of the donor database, tracking all donations, pledges, gifts, in-kind support and cultivation activities.

After graduation in May 2010, Jenny interned at the Trust the following fall. As an intern, she worked with the development team on facilitating research and assisting with the Corporate Committee. After successfully completing her internship in spring 2011, she was offered a full-time position with the Trust. While in college, she worked as a substitute teacher and spent a semester in Mexico teaching English.

Fun Fact:  Jenny grew up on a farm in small-town Kentucky, and spent her summers setting up a farmers market to sell her family’s produce and, of course, chat with the locals about the weather.

 

Mariann Payne
Director of Principal Gifts

B.A., English, East Tennessee State University
M.A. English, East Tennessee State University
Ph.D. Program, Entered into Candidacy, English, Catholic University of America,

Mariann Payne is Director of Principal Gifts for the Northeast. Mariann brings fifteen years of experience in major gifts fundraising, most recently at Georgetown University. She was Associate Director of the Scholarship Campaign at the University of Maryland, College Park from 2006-2009.

Mariann has advanced degrees in English Literature and taught high school Shakespeare and British Literature before working in development at the Folger Shakespeare Library. She earned her degrees from East Tennessee State University and has completed her doctoral studies and has been admitted into candidacy for the Ph.D. in English at Catholic University of America. She is married with two children, Olivia and Zach.

Fun Fact: Mariann’s first job at 15 was as a roller skating carhop at Sonic Drive In in Maryville, TN.

 

Ciara O’Dea
Development Assistant

B.A. Politics, The Catholic University of America

In her role at the Trust, Ciara works with the Development team and provides support for the Director of Principal Gifts as the Trust prepares to launch the Campaign to Restore the National Mall. 

Prior to joining the Trust full-time in Summer 2012, Ciara interned at the Trust for the National Mall during most of her college career.  She worked in several departments, including Marketing, Operations and Corporate Relations. While in college, Ciara was an active member of the Green Club and encouraged her campus to recycle and reduce paper waste.

Fun Fact: Ciara’s favorite holiday to spend on the National Mall is the Fourth of July. It also happens to be her birthday.

 

Elizabeth Rowe
Research Associate

B. A. Sociology, Penn State University

In her role at the Trust, Elizabeth manages prospect research for the fundraising development department.

Before joining the Trust, Elizabeth worked at Odell, Simms & Lynch for over two years as an analyst in prospect research. In her role there, she was responsible for researching potential prospects, writing reports, and copyediting on a variety of accounts. Prior to that, Elizabeth worked in sales after moving to the DC metro area after graduation. While in college, Elizabeth wrote articles and did graphic design for Phroth, Penn State’s humor magazine and newspaper.

Fun Fact: Elizabeth grew up visiting Washington D. C. every other year with her family and remembers picnicking on the Mall often.

 

Katherine Schramm-Strosser
Director of Events

B.A., English Language and Literature, Smith College

In her roll with the Trust, Katherine oversees the programming and events calendar that supports and facilitates the Trust’s campaign to restore the National Mall.

Prior to joining the Trust, Katherine served as the head of events at two event production firms, planning and executing both large- and small-scale events for a variety of clients across the country, including American Eagle Outfitters, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Pfizer Philanthropy. Previously, Katherine served as a policy analyst at a Washington, DC non-profit.

Fun fact: Katherine’s love of sailing can be traced back to her teens when, at the age of fourteen, she volunteered to be a crew member aboard an historic ship sailing the Atlantic coast line and making port at a maritime museum.

 

Leon E. Scioscia
Director of Volunteer Programs

B. A., University of Tennessee
M. A., University of Iowa
Executive Education Program, Harvard University School of Business

In his role with the Trust, Leon is responsible for working with his colleagues to create a volunteer program that supports the education of park visitors and welcomes over 25 million people annually.

Leon came to the Trust in the Fall of 2012, after having had successful careers with the Library of Congress, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and a range of institutions including the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, Herberger Theater Center, and the Arena Stage.

Fun Fact: There was a time when visitors were allowed to climb the stairs to the top of the Washington Monument on a regular basis, and Leon is pleased that he was able to not only accomplish this feat, but also to not lose count of the 897 steps!

 

Mary-Michael Wachur
Executive Assistant to the President

B.A., History, Roanoke College

In her role with the Trust, Mary-Michael provides support to the Trust President and manages daily operations within the Trust offices.

Before joining the Trust in December 2012, Mary-Michael worked for the Muscular Dystrophy Association where she coordinated fundraising and special events.  During her tenure there, she helped the MDA strengthen its relationships with key sponsors and executed numerous successful fundraising events, including the annual MDA Muscle-Walk, the Heartsongs Gala, and the “Fill-the-Boot” drive in association with the IAFF—the largest of its kind in the country! Prior to that Mary-Michael worked in the development office of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, helping to run a nationwide campaign to save America’s significant and historic structures.

Fun Fact: Mary-Michael is an avid runner and a big fan of Walt Disney World—she just recently completed the “Goofy Challenge” race in Orlando, running 39.3 miles in two days.