Goal II: Strengthen Monticello from the inside out

Goal II: Strengthen Monticello from the inside out

We turn next to our most immediate community, committing to support the flourishing of our staff and to enhance their impact on their fields. As we devise new programs directed at staff training and retention, we multiply our impact as a leader in historic preservation and civic education.

"I think right when I think with you,” Jefferson wrote to John Adams in Paris in 1785. Though the two men often espoused different solutions, they recognized that the fledgling nation grew stronger when they thought together. So, too, Monticello can only be as strong as its staff and their shared talents.

Our staff are leaders in their fields nationwide, and their work shapes the experience of the myriad visitors Monticello attracts annually. To elevate this experience, we must attract and retain top talent. We will invest in staff development, with improved workspaces, enhanced opportunities for engagement, recognition, and field-wide impact.

The nature of our visitation, which swells by a factor of twenty from the lowest season in winter to peak periods in the spring and fall, means that part-time, seasonal, and casual work remains crucial to our operations. To recruit and retain a workforce that is both excellent and flexible, we must take a data-driven approach to our organizational structure. We will enhance our survey capabilities both among staff and with guests.

Through cross-training and skills-sharing, we will explore ways to streamline departments and make targeted use of attrition. Through mentoring and expanded support for continuing education, we will enhance professional development opportunities. We seek in particular to retain mid-career talent while providing more early- and late-career pathways. We will also embrace opportunities for apprenticeships and exchange with aligned institutions in the history, hospitality, and preservation fields.

As we strengthen Monticello from the inside out, our key initiatives also seek to elevate the national leadership of our staff in scholarly research, public history, and place-based interpretation, positioning Monticello to strengthen those fields writ large.