Laura W. Johnson-Kelly

Laura W. Johnson-Kelly serves as the County Historian for Tompkins County since April 2023 and holds a trustee position on the Board of Trustees at The History Center in Tompkins County since December 2020. With extensive experience in historical curation and education, Laura's previous roles include Acting Director and Administrative/Collection Manager at Cornell University, where operations for a significant research library were managed, and Town Historian for the Town of Ithaca, facilitating cultural events and community projects. Additional positions held range from Pre-Columbian/Digital Specialist at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art to various curatorial roles across multiple institutions, including Jefferson County Historical Society and the University of Michigan. Educational credentials include a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from Cornell University and advanced studies in Anthropology/Archaeology at the University of Michigan. Laura's background emphasizes strategic planning, community engagement, and collections management.