George Washington's Mount Vernon Hires New Vice President for Guest Experience

MOUNT VERNON, VA - George Washington’s Mount Vernon is pleased to announce the hire of Roy Young as its new vice president for guest experience. Young joins Mount Vernon after more than six years at Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterwork, located in Mill Run, Pennsylvania, where he most recently served as director of operations and visitor experience.

In his new role at Mount Vernon, Young will oversee a broad and diverse portfolio of programs and initiatives for the estate’s more than one million annual visitors, including history interpretation, museum tours, historic trades, and public and private events. 

“Whether people are coming to Mount Vernon for a daytime visit or a special event, we want them to feel the spirit of hospitality that George and Martha Washington put forward at every step of the way,” said Rob Shenk, Mount Vernon’s senior vice president for visitor engagement. “Roy brings a strong record of creating those kinds of memorable experiences for visitors to Fallingwater, and of finding efficiencies to deliver ever-better results.”

During his successful tenure at Fallingwater, Roy developed new educational offerings, executed building projects, special events, and interpretive programs to drive attendance and grow revenue—a pattern he plans to repeat in his new role. Key to his success was the desire to increase visitor experience and make the site accessible and welcoming to all.

“Mount Vernon has a wonderful team of committed and talented people who I am looking forward to getting to know and work with as we together tackle this great site’s unique challenges,” said Young. “It is an extraordinary and inspiring place, deeply committed to delivering an exceptional guest experience, and I am honored to take on this new position.”

A designer and visual artist by training, Young previously served as the managing partner at the Design-Build Architectural firm, Young Bickley Geiger International, Inc. He also taught museum education and interior design courses at several higher education institutions, most recently at Chatham University and Juniata College. Young obtained his Masters of Arts in Art and Visual Culture Education from the University of Arizona and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Missouri, focusing on ethnographic research and the visitor experience at iconic house museums.

Mount Vernon is the nation’s most visited historic estate, located on the banks of the Potomac River, roughly 16 miles south of Washington, D.C. Mount Vernon’s mission is to preserve and manage George Washington’s beloved home and to educate people throughout the world about his remarkable life and legacy. It is owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA), a private 501(c)3, founded in 1853 by Ann Pamela Cunningham. The Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association does not accept government funding.

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