Heather Huyck, Ph.D.

Heather Huyck, Ph.D., is an accomplished public historian, educator, author, and advocate whose career has centered on preserving, interpreting, and advancing American history, particularly the history of women. She dedicated much of her professional career to the National Park Service, where she developed expertise in cultural resource management, historical interpretation, strategic planning, and historic preservation. Huyck earned a Ph.D. in American History from the University of Minnesota and holds a master’s degree in Anthropology. Her extensive career also included a congressional fellowship with the U.S. House Subcommittee on National Parks and Public Lands, where she contributed to legislative efforts that resulted in 81 enacted laws.

Although technically retired from the National Park Service, Huyck remains highly active in the public history and historic preservation communities. For more than 20 years, she has been involved with the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites, where she currently serves as a Board Member and Co-Chair of the Research & Interpretation Committee. Through this work, she advocates for the preservation and interpretation of women’s history, supports research and professional training, and encourages meaningful public engagement in historic preservation. Her commitment to expanding access to history has also extended to her involvement in initiatives supporting women’s leadership and participation within the Episcopal Church.

Huyck is also the author of Doing Women’s History in Public: A Handbook for Interpretation at Museums and Historic Sites, a comprehensive resource that provides practical approaches to researching, preserving, and interpreting women’s history for public audiences. Her scholarship and professional contributions reflect a lifelong commitment to connecting academic research with communities, museums, historic sites, and the public. With decades of experience in public history, cultural resource management, archival research, education, and nonprofit leadership, Huyck continues to make a meaningful contribution to the preservation and understanding of America’s diverse historical legacy.