Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area (CCHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of C. Jane Cox as the organization’s new Executive Director effective on January 1, 2025. Ms. Cox joins the CCHA after a career with Anne Arundel County, where she began working with the the Office of Planning and Zoning- Cultural Resources section as an archaeologist and historic preservation planner in 1997.
“I look forward to bringing my decades of experience and my vision and creativity to expand and enhance heritage sites offerings and programs across the Chesapeake Crossroads. I ‘m also excited to help our partners tell their unique stories in fresh and innovative ways.” said Ms. Cox. She will be taking over from Dr. Carol Benson who is retiring after serving in the role since 2008. Ms. Cox went on to thank Dr. Benson, “for the legacy of excellence she leaves us, as she expertly guided the recent boundary expansion, name change, and rebranding efforts. I look forward to working with the Board to build on that strong foundation as we continue to support and lift up all of our heritage stakeholders and partners in history across the City of Annapolis and the County.”
In her tenure with the County, Ms. Cox has conducted archaeological excavations at hundreds of sites, preserved dozens of buildings; developed planning documents guiding County’s preservation programs and initiatives, and nurtured the County’s regionally-known public archaeology laboratory and research program, while building strong connections within local and State government. She was also a founding member of the Lost Towns Project, Inc. and under her volunteer leadership, secured and administered dozens of local, state and federal grants, in support of the organization’s public outreach and education goals. “As a recipient of numerous MHAA and mini-grants over the years, I bring perspective as a long-time user of the Heritage Areas programs, which will be invaluable as I now can support our partners and stakeholders through that process to help them achieve their own heritage programming goals.”
Chairman Leahy adds “Jane’s proven advocacy for historic sites, and her familiarity with the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority program gives me confidence that she will hit the ground running, as we begin the 2025 MHAA grant cycle in just a few weeks. The Board and I warmly welcome Jane to the team as we embark on a new chapter in the story of the Chesapeake Crossroads Heritage Area.”
Chesapeake Crossroads is a partnership among the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, Anne Arundel County, the City of Annapolis, the Town of Highland Beach, and heritage-related organizations and businesses. Our mission is to advance, support, and promote the natural, historic, and cultural resources of the region. We create and support products and activities that leverage economic development through preservation and heritage tourism.