Museum Advocacy in Action: Building Support at the Local and State Level

Join us for our next Advocacy Webinar on Tuesday, June 23 at 2pm!

This panel discussion explores how museums can effectively advocate for funding, visibility, and community support at both the local and state levels. Through conversation and practical insights from museum and civic leaders, participants will learn how advocacy is rooted in relationship-building, storytelling, and demonstrating community impact & not partisan politics. Panelists will share real-world examples and case studies on securing state and local government funding, engaging elected officials, communicating institutional value through data and stories, navigating the legislative process, and building long-term support for museums. This webinar emphasizes that advocacy is an ongoing effort that strengthens both museums and the communities they serve.

About Our Panelists - 

John Jewell - After a career that spanned 40 years, John retired in the fall of 2019 after serving as the Assistant Sergeant at Arms/Chief Information Officer for the United States Senate. Within the US Senate Office of the Sergeant at Arms (SAA), he led strategic planning, oversaw information infrastructure, cybersecurity services, managed IT support operations and personnel. John is currently enjoying doing Information Technology consulting work part-time, working with federal government agencies on strategic goals and objectives.

John began serving on the Frederick County, Virginia, Board of Supervisors on January 1, 2024. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors after being appointed in October, 2025. Prior to being elected to the board, he served on the Frederick County, Virginia, Planning Commission from March 2020 to December 2023 -the last two years as the Chairman. He also does competition barbecuing and supports local charity events with his BBQ skills.

Karen L. Daly - joined Stratford Hall as President in January 2021, overseeing management of the 2,000-acre historic preserve in the bucolic Northern Neck of Virginia, where the voices of American history still speak. During her tenure Karen has overseen reopening post-pandemic, adopting a new strategic plan, developing a Campus Master Plan, and partnering with regional peers to create a regional commemoration of our nation’s 250th anniversary.

Advocacy efforts at Stratford have generated local, state, and federal support for critical preservation, interpretation, and Semiquincentennial commemorations including:

• VA250 Commission, Westmoreland County, and Northern Neck National Heritage Area investment/partnership for Virginia Resolved—the 250^th anniversary commemoration of Richard Henry Lee's Resolution for Independence on June 7, 1776.
• Over $2.3 million in Commonwealth grant awards and appropriations toward preservation, restoration, and interpretation efforts at the 1,800 acre historic preserve.
• Over $2 million in state and federal funding committed toward Stratford's planned conservation easement for almost 500 acres of historic land on the banks of the Potomac River.
• A $200,000+ grant from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund in support of the Northern Neck 250 5-county regional commemorations.

Nathan Stalvey - has served as Executive Director of the Clarke County Historical Association since 2014 and is a recognized advocate for museums and nonprofit organizations at the local, state, and federal levels. A former Council Member of the Virginia Association of Museums, he helped lead statewide advocacy efforts and continues to train museum professionals on building relationships with elected officials and advocating for their institutions. In 2024, he successfully worked with his local state Delegate to secure passage of a state budget amendment that provided critical funding to restore the historic mill dam at the Burwell-Morgan Mill, ensuring the preservation of one of Virginia’s oldest operating gristmills.

Nathan currently serves on the Board of the Top of Virginia Regional Chamber of Commerce, where he chairs the Public Policy Committee and leads advocacy initiatives including Legislative Days in Richmond and Washington, D.C. Through his work, he has helped connect museums, nonprofits, and businesses with policymakers and demonstrates how sustained, year-round advocacy can translate into meaningful support for community organizations. He continues to assist the Virginia Association of Museums in their advocacy efforts.

Michael Berlucchi - serves as CEO of Arts Alliance, where he leads regional efforts to strengthen and support the arts and cultural sector across South Hampton Roads through advocacy, strategic partnerships, research, and operating support for nonprofit arts organizations. Since 1987, Arts Alliance has provided more than $26 million in support to the region’s cultural community and works to advance the role of arts and culture in economic prosperity and quality of life.

He also serves as the District 3 Representative on the Virginia Beach City Council, where he has been a strong advocate for arts, culture, neighborhood investment, and community engagement initiatives. Berlucchi previously worked at the Chrysler Museum of Art and brings a unique perspective shaped by experience in both public service and cultural leadership.