Trustees and Staff

Darlene (Rogers) Kassner grew up in Midland and Blanchester, Ohio. She is a graduate of Blanchester High School and Wilmington College with a degree in Elementary and Secondary Education. She received her Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Xavier University. She was a sixth-grade teacher in the Fayetteville School District in Brown County before accepting the position of Principal at Jefferson Elementary in the Blanchester School District. She then served as the Treasurer of the Blanchester District from 2003 until her retirement in 2019. Darlene is active in the Blanchester Area Historical Society, Grace United Methodist Church, Jefferson High School Alumni, and the Order of the Eastern Star. She enjoys genealogy, cooking, and being outdoors. Darlene and her husband Mike love to travel to historic places, attend Prehistoric Indian Artifact Shows, and spend time with family.

Andrew was born and raised in Clinton County. He graduated from Wilmington High School in 1995 and later attended Ohio University and the University of Dayton School of Law. Andrew has been with the Clinton County Prosecutor’s Office since 2008 and has served as the elected county prosecutor since January 1, 2021. He is also a partner at Peelle McCoy Law Offices Company. When he is not working, he and his wife spend most of their free time attending their sons’ sporting events.

Keith Orejel is an assistant professor of history at Wilmington College, where he teaches a variety of courses on American history, the Civil War and Reconstruction, African American studies, and the Cold War. Keith splits his time between Ohio and Michigan, where his wife currently resides. He is a 2015 alumnus of Columbia University, where he earned his Ph.D. in history with a focus on Colonial America and the early republic. Keith was nominated for the 2016 Society of American Historians’ Allan Nevins Prize for best-written American history dissertation. He is currently under contract with the University of Pennsylvania Press for an upcoming book: Factories in the Fallows: Rural and Small-Town Politics in the American Heartland. He has written numerous articles and papers, as well as public presentations. His most recent fellowship was as a postdoctoral teacher at the University of Missouri from 2015 to 2017. Keith is currently a member of both the American Historical Association and the Business History Conference.

Lauren is a lifelong resident of Wilmington. She graduated from Wilmington High School, Wilmington College, and Capital University Law School. She became a magistrate in the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas in 2022 and was formerly in private practice for 17 years. She is a member of Wilmington Friends Meeting.

Christine Hadley Snyder was born in the c.1830 farmhouse built by her great-great-great-grandfather Eli Harvey (1803–1872), which she now maintains as a family museum and event venue, and manages the family farms. She was a birthright member of Springfield Friends Meeting, where seven generations of her ancestors lie in the burial ground. She attended all twelve years at Adams Township School and earned a B.Sc. in science education from OSU, a B.A. in Spanish, and a Master of Humanities from Wright State, plus additional work in veterinary practice management. She and her husband served in the Peace Corps from 1964 to 1966. She has taught high school and university and served as CFO of her husband’s veterinary clinic for 31 years. She served on the Wilmington College Board of Trustees for twelve years, the final four years as chair. She has served as president of the Clinton County Genealogical Society and volunteers in the research library. She is currently working on the Quaker Scenic Byway project and serves on the Board of Energize Clinton. She and her husband love to travel the world, including visiting their three grown sons and six grandchildren.

Renee is a graduate of the University of Toledo, where she studied Business Administration. She is the Branch Manager for Peoples Bank in downtown Wilmington. She is very involved in her community. In addition to her involvement with the History Center, she is the Vice President of Main Street Wilmington, a board member for Outstanding Woman of Clinton County, and a graduate of Leadership Clinton. She resides in Warren County with her husband and two young children. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors with kayaking, swimming, and hiking.