Foundation Staff
Keven Walker, Chief Executive Officer
Keven has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation since June 2014, leading a period of significant growth and national impact in battlefield preservation, education, and heritage tourism.
Walker came to the Foundation from Antietam National Battlefield, where he spent 11 years with the National Park Service as a Ranger, Cultural Resources Specialist, and Acting Cultural Resource Program Manager. During his tenure, he was selected for the agency’s highly competitive GOAL Academy leadership program and served on the National Park Service’s national advisory team on cultural resources and historic preservation. His work earned high praise from Edwin C. Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service, who described Walker’s contributions as exemplary and among the best in the field.
In addition to his federal service, Walker previously served as Executive Director of The Walker Foundation for Historic Preservation in Charles Town, West Virginia, and operated a tour company in Gettysburg. He is also an accomplished public historian—appearing on C-SPAN and in several Maryland Public Television documentaries on the Antietam Battlefield and historic homes in Washington County, Maryland—and the author of Antietam: A Guide to the Landscape and Farmsteads.
Since joining the Foundation, Walker has overseen some of the most ambitious initiatives in its history. Under his leadership, the organization has preserved more than 4,000 acres of battlefield land, opened two visitor centers, and expanded its educational programming. The Foundation has also assumed management of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum, launched new initiatives such as the Shenandoah At War magazine, established an annual national conference, and strengthened partnerships throughout the Shenandoah Valley and across the country.
Through his leadership, Walker has advanced the Foundation’s mission to preserve, interpret, and promote the Civil War history of the Shenandoah Valley, ensuring these nationally significant landscapes remain protected and accessible for future generations.
Dan Reinhart, Chief Operating Officer
Dan is a Pennsylvania native who grew up in the small town of Ringtown. He pursued his passion for history at Penn State University’s Schuylkill Campus and later at Bloomsburg University, where he studied for two years before leaving academia to begin his career with the Foundation in 2014.
Starting as a Resource Manager, Dan was initially responsible for overseeing the Foundation’s battlefield properties. His leadership and strategic vision quickly became evident, and by 2017 his role expanded to include oversight of all operations. Over the past decade, he has played a pivotal role in transforming the organization—restructuring departments to improve efficiency while guiding significant growth.
During Dan’s tenure, the Foundation has expanded its reach to include new visitor centers, museums, and parks, enhancing public engagement with historic sites. He has also been involved in securing more than $15 million in funding to support preservation efforts and park development within the National Historic District. In 2024, Dan began managing the Foundation’s $5 million Tourism Infrastructure Project, a major initiative focused on opening, interpreting, and promoting battlefield parks throughout the Valley.
In addition to his work with the Foundation, Dan served one term on the New Market Historic Overlay District Review Board, contributing his expertise to the preservation and stewardship of the town’s historic character and has gone through preservation training with the National Park Service on Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.
Jack Owens, Land Preservation Projects Manager
His work focuses on preserving, protecting, and interpreting some of the Valley’s most significant historic landscapes. In this role, he manages millions of dollars in land transactions, oversees the preservation of hundreds of acres of battlefield land and historic structures, and leads stewardship efforts for the Foundation’s owned and eased properties. He has also administered and executed numerous state and federal grants supporting preservation, restoration, and interpretation initiatives across the region.
Jack’s connection to the Battlefields Foundation began in 2012 as a young volunteer at Star Fort near his home. His involvement quickly expanded to include event support, program assistance, and on-the-ground stewardship. In 2017, he joined the Foundation’s staff as a part-time Museum Associate at the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum in Winchester. He became a Resource Management Associate in 2019, working across interpretation, archival projects, and battlefield stewardship. In 2022, Jack stepped into the role of Park Ranger – Resource Preservation, and in 2024, he assumed his current position as Land Preservation Projects Manager.
Jack played a key role in several major Foundation initiatives, including assisting with the opening of the James R. Wilkins Winchester Battlefields Visitor Center and the renovation of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum. He also manages the Foundation’s Long Road to Freedom Project and oversees its preservation efforts in West Virginia.
Beyond his professional work, Jack is committed to sharing the Valley’s history in new and engaging ways. He co-hosts the Civil War history podcast Battlefields & Bourbon, exploring stories of the conflict paired with a discussion of whiskey. He serves on multiple regional boards, including the Lord Fairfax Soil & Water Conservation District, the Shenandoah Valley Pure Water Forum, the Winchester-Frederick County Tourism Board, and the Frederick County Historic Resource Advisory Board. In 2026, he was published in Shenandoah University’s Journal of the Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Era.
Jack lives in Winchester with his wife and is currently pursuing a Certificate in Civil War Era Studies from Shenandoah University. He remains dedicated to preserving the Valley’s historic resources and ensuring their stories endure for future generations.
Michael Gionfriddo, Park Ranger - Acting Chief of Visitor Services
Michael is an emerging public historian and museum professional with a strong passion for American history and interpretation. A native of Wethersfield, Connecticut, his interest in the past was sparked at an early age through family stories of World War II and the Vietnam War.
He is a recent graduate of the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in History with a minor in Museum Studies. During his time at Ole Miss, Michael gained hands-on experience in the field through an internship with the United States Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum, deepening his interest in military history and public engagement.
Outside of his professional work, Michael is also active in digital public history. He runs a growing social media presence under the name FriddoHistory on YouTube and Instagram, where he creates content focused on American Civil War history for a broad audience.
Michael relocated to the Shenandoah Valley in the summer of 2023 and began working seasonally with the Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society at Stonewall Jackson's Headquarters Museum. He later joined the staff of the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, where his leadership and interpretive skills quickly stood out. In the fall of 2024, he was promoted to Park Ranger – Acting Chief of Visitor Services.
In his current role, Michael manages the Foundation’s museums and visitor centers, overseeing interpretation, programming, and visitor experience across its sites. His work reflects a commitment to making history accessible, engaging, and meaningful for the public.
Tammy Presgraves, Comptroller
Tammy started at SVBF part-time in 2010 to assist with bookkeeping. In 2012 she was asked to become the full-time Operations Assistant and to manage SVBF’s grant programs. Tammy is great at helping to keep the SVBF staff organized and working efficiently.
Kirsten Heder, Donor Engagement
Kirsten joined the Foundation in 2017 and is in charge of development and fundraising. During her time with the organization, she has helped grow membership programs, explored fundraising efforts, served as event coordinator for major donor events, and supported Foundation conferences. With a background in customer service and small business ownership, she works with members, donors, and partners to cultivate involvement and connect them with their philanthropic interests. Wednesdays and Thursdays are her favorite days, when she gets to work with an office mate, Luther. Her other passions include Virginia history and places, and dinosaurs!
Jay Richardson, Park Ranger - Interpretation
Jay joined the Foundation in 2019 as a part-time museum associate at the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum. In 2020, Jay was promoted to park ranger and now works on a variety of park and interpretation projects. In addition to giving tours and working with visitors, his work has branched out to include audio/visual editing, developing smartphone tours, and website design. Jay received a bachelor's degree in history from George Mason University in 2014. After joining the Foundation, Jay attended Shenandoah University where he earned an undergraduate certificate in Civil War Era Studies in 2021.
Debra Goecker, Museum Associate
Debra is an award-winning educator, moved to the Valley in 2019 after retiring. A member of SVBF since 2021, Deb volunteered as a docent at the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum prior to becoming a staff member in 2023 and continues to volunteer additional time at the museum and the Third Winchester Battlefield. Deb is married to Jim Goecker, a SVBF member who also volunteers at the 3rd Winchester Battlefield Visitor Center and Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum.
Wade Custer, Park Ranger - Interpretation
Wade has been a Park Ranger for the Shenandoah Valley Battlefield Foundation since 2020. Wade graduated from Stonewall Jackson High School and is a resident of Shenandoah County who enjoys educating tourists about local Civil War history. He conducts Civil War walking tours of downtown New Market and downtown Winchester with the general public and has done virtual presentations with local schools.
Juanito Garcia-Sanchez, Facilities Management Associate
Juanito became a part of the SVBF team in the spring of 2022 when he began working as a Facilities Management Associate at the Foundation's historic Strayer House in New Market. A 2022 graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School, he has also participated as an athlete with the Special Olympics since 2017. Juanito is responsible for the cleanliness of the exhibits and public areas at this heavily visited site. As the main headquarters and in the downtown visitor center for the New Market Battlefield, the condition of the Strayer House is extremely important, and his work helps improve the experience of our visitors and guest. While continuing his work with SVBF, Juanito is furthering his education as a post-graduate student in the LIFE program at Central High School in Woodstock, VA.
Luther Ludwig, Office Assistant
Luther Ludwig works closely with Kirsten Heder providing invaluable support in the development department and New Market Battlefield Park. Luther is a graduate of Stonewall Jackson High School as well as the LIFE program at Central High School in Woodstock, Virginia. When he’s not hard at work at the Battlefields Foundation, he indulges in his life-long obsession with sports: football, baseball, and his favorites, basketball and NASCAR. He was a basketball player in school, and though he never brags, his family says he was very good at it!