Biography through the Arts: George Washington’s Leadership

Kate Brown

Kate Elizabeth Brown is an Associate Professor of History and Legal Studies at Western Kentucky University. She received her PhD in American History from the University of Virginia in 2015, and she specializes in American legal and constitutional history and the early republic period. In 2017, the University Press of Kansas published her first book, titled Alexander Hamilton and the Development of American Law, which was also featured in an episode of the Ben Franklin’s World podcast. She has published articles in the Law and History Review, New York History, and the Federal History Journal.  She is the recipient of the 2019 National Hamilton Scholar award, in addition to numerous fellowships and research grants, including a James C. Rees Fellowship from the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, a Larry J. Hackman Research Residency Grant at the New York State Archives, a Cromwell Senior Research Grant from the American Society of Legal History, and a fellowship at the Gilder-Lehrman Institute for American History. The University of Virginia Press will publish her forthcoming book, a co-edited volume called Learning Through George Washington: A Guide for Educators, Students, and Citizens, in 2026.

Mary Pleiss

Mary Pleiss is the ArtsCore Coordinator and an educator at the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  She holds a master's degree in gifted education from Purdue University and an MFA in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. A former classroom teacher and curriculum development specialist, she enjoys working with teachers to create arts integrated experiences that engage students in hands-on, meaningful learning. 

Allison Wickens

K. Allison Wickens, Vice President for Education, joined George Washington’s Mount Vernon in the summer of 2014. She currently leads the Education and Guest Services division and oversees the learning goals for the institution for onsite, offsite, and digital outreach programs.  She represents Mount Vernon in national discussions about museums, historic sites, and how they relate to history and civics education today.

Before arriving at Mount Vernon, she had been at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Postal Museum, serving as their Director of Education and Visitor Services. She received her Master’s Degree in History at the University of Colorado, Boulder where she got a certificate in Museum Studies. Between her undergraduate work at Grinnell College and graduate school, she lived and worked in Washington, D.C. at a wide variety of Smithsonian museums and offices.