Who We Are
Joel Lefever
Biography
Originally from central Illinois, Joel received his B. A. from Hope College, Holland, Michigan in 1987 and M. A. from the Cooperstown Graduate Program in History Museum Studies in New York in 1998 where he specialized in American architecture and decorative arts. His major internships were at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in Pennsylvania and the Margaret Woodbury Strong Museum in Rochester, New York. Lefever served as a cultural diplomat to St. Petersburg, Russia in 1997, is a member of the Holland Historic District Commission, and is a published author, lecturer, and historian. From 1994 he served as Curator of the Holland Historical Trust and was named the Trust’s President in 2005.
Nathan Kemler
Biography
Nathan received his B.A in World History with minors in Art History, Archeology, and Studio Art from Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI in 2001. He received his M. A. from the Historical Administration graduate program at Eastern Illinois University in 2002 while being awarded the History and Technology assistantship. Internships included the Public Museum in Grand Rapids, MI and the Ten Chimneys foundation in Genesse Depot, WI. Nathan served as the Project Curator of Ethnology at the Public Museum, Grand Rapids, MI from 2003 to 2005 and then as Curator of Historic Sites and Collections at the Holland Historical Trust until 2008. He is currently the Collections Manager at Grand Valley State University - Art Gallery Department.