Vanessa Smiley is currently the Project Manager of Interpretive Media
Development for the National Capital Area at Harpers Ferry Center (HFC) and has worked in interpretation and education for the National Park Service since 2005. Before joining HFC, Vanessa’s Rev War park
experience included Chief of Interpretation at the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution Parks Group in South Carolina, an acting assignment as Superintendent at Guilford Courthouse NMP, and Chief of
Interpretation at Morristown NHP. She received her undergraduate degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington
and her Master’s degree in Resource Interpretation from Stephen F.
Austin State University.

Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys researching family histories, studying
material and social culture of the 18th and 19th centuries, nerding
out on historic architecture, listening to podcasts, reading true
crime non-fiction, craft beer, and attempting to make the perfect
sangria. She and her husband live in Morgan County, West Virginia with
their small farm of rescue animals.