The Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation, a private non-profit supporting the preservation, education, and the archaeological investigation of Historic Jamestowne, has welcomed four new members to its Board of Trustees: Bill Barker, Marilyn Brown, and Wilma and Marc Sharp.
“Their addition reflects the further strengthening of support for the Jamestown Rediscovery archaeological project, begun more than 25 years ago by Dr. William Kelso and his team, and is a testament to the extraordinary success of the work here,” said Jim Horn, president and CO of the foundation, in a news release.
William “Bill” Barker, a Philadelphia native, is a veteran historical actor-interpreter who has spent nearly 40 years portraying Thomas Jefferson. Barker graduated from the William Penn Charter School and earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Villanova University. He became a professional actor and served as the artistic director of the Savoy Opera Company of Philadelphia, the world’s oldest continually producing Gilbert and Sullivan troupe, for 11 years. In 1984, he was hired to do a photoshoot as Jefferson at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall. The experience led him to perform as Jefferson regularly, which became his passion and life’s work.
He joined the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s Nation Builder program in the spring of 1993, where he continued to interpret and study Jefferson for 26 years. Barker relocated to Charlottesville, Virginia in 2019 to continue his portrayal and scholarship of Jefferson at his historic home, Monticello. Barker has performed at the headquarters of the FBI and NASA, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, to the Palace of Versailles, the Musée de la Légion d’honneur and the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Paris, and other locations in France, Great Britain, and Italy.
Marilyn Brown, a businesswoman from Colorado, has served as a pillar for many educational and historical organizations in the Denver area and in Williamsburg. She graduated from Colorado Women’s College and Regis University in Denver and was the director of personnel at the law firm of Sherman & Howard for nine years. Afterward, she joined the Denver office of Chicago-based law firm, Mayer, Brown, and Platt, as a legal administrator.
Brown is now the owner of Morton Publishing, founded in 1977. The company publishes best-selling, higher education course material in anatomy and physiology, biology and microbiology, chemistry, and astronomy.
A Colorado native, Brown’s interest in American history spans decades. She and her late husband Doug Morton, a William & Mary alumnus, were passionate about education and understanding the stories of our nation’s past.
Brown was made an honorary alumna by the William & Mary Alumni Association in 2007. She is also a member of Colonial Williamsburg’s President’s Council and Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation’s Governor’s Council.
Wilma and Marc Sharp have been active community members since their move to Williamsburg in 1987. The couple have five children and six grandchildren.
Wilma Sharp completed her undergraduate studies at Longwood University in 1966 and received her Masters of Arts in education from W&M. She spent 30 years as an educator with a gifted-resource specialization. Upon retiring, she started volunteering in Colonial Williamsburg Gardens and in the Therapeutic Gardening programs for assisted living facilities. She also serves on the boards of the Williamsburg Community Foundation, Literacy for Life, and the Comte de Grasse Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Marc Sharp received his Bachelor of Science in commerce and his Master of Science in accounting from the University of Virginia. His time at U.Va. was interrupted by serving five years in the U.S. Army.
Marc Sharp was president of Bush Development Corp. for 21 years and continues to serve as president of Greensprings Plantation, Inc. and manager/co-owner of Plantation Group, LLC. He has also sat on several boards in the area, including the boards of Child Development Resources, Housing Partnerships, the Williamsburg Community Foundation, Optima Health, and Sentara Healthcare. While on the Board of the local Friends of the National Park Service, Sharp facilitated and donated approximately 180 acres of land to increase the size of Colonial Historical Park.
Gaya Gupta, 757-446-2986, gaya.gupta@virginiamedia.com
