Catherine Delorme
— President
Catherine Delorme serves as President of the Board of Trustees of Smith’s Castle, where she provides leadership in organizational development, strategic planning, volunteer engagement, and educational programming. Since joining the organization as a docent, she has held a series of leadership positions, including Secretary and Vice President, before being elected President. She is currently serving her second year in that role.
Before relocating to Rhode Island, Catherine enjoyed a distinguished career in higher education and healthcare as a college professor, program director, adult educator, and physical therapist. Throughout her professional career, she specialized in curriculum development, program assessment, organizational leadership, and lifelong learning.
After discovering Smith’s Castle shortly after moving to Rhode Island, Catherine became deeply involved in the organization and its mission. Her passion for history, education, and community engagement has helped guide efforts to strengthen public programming, support volunteers, and advance the preservation of one of Rhode Island’s most significant historic sites.
Catherine brings a unique combination of educational expertise, leadership experience, and organizational management skills to the Board. She is committed to preserving Smith’s Castle’s rich history while ensuring that future generations can connect with the stories and people that shaped Rhode Island’s past.
Robert Rouse
— Vice President
Bob Rouse is a Vietnam-era veteran and retired attorney who enjoyed a distinguished 40-year career as Corporate Counsel for organizations in Illinois, Georgia, and Rhode Island. His legal practice focused on finance, insurance, and employment law, providing extensive experience in governance, risk management, and organizational leadership.
An active community volunteer, Bob has a longstanding commitment to veterans' organizations and civic service. Since 2014, he has volunteered at Smith's Castle as a docent and has served the organization in a variety of administrative and leadership roles.
Bob brings a strong background in legal affairs, governance, and nonprofit service to the Board of Trustees, helping support Smith's Castle's mission to preserve and share Rhode Island's history.
Amy Jenner
— Treasurer
Amy Jenner is a former senior operations executive at Pfizer with more than 30 years of leadership experience managing complex organizations, budgets, and strategic initiatives. She previously served as a minority selectman in Weston, Connecticut, and remains active in Rhode Island civic and preservation efforts through service on the Historic District Commission, Board of Assessment Appeals, Wickford Advisory Committee, Northfield Congregational Church, and HistWick.
At Smith's Castle, Amy serves as Treasurer and is focused on strengthening the organization's financial sustainability, governance, and long-term growth while expanding its impact as a cultural and educational resource for the community.
Denise Boule
— Past President, Executive Committee, Trustee, Collections Committee Co-Chair
Denise Boule is a retired educator with experience in both public schools and higher education. She holds a B.A. in Education from the University of Rhode Island and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Rhode Island College.
A dedicated volunteer since 2014, Denise served as President of The Cocumscussoc Association from 2016 to 2018 and currently serves on the Executive Committee, co-chairs the Collections Committee, and serves on the Education Committee. She is committed to helping Smith’s Castle tell a more inclusive and comprehensive story of Rhode Island’s past while strengthening the organization through collaboration, leadership, and community engagement.
James Murphy
— Executive Committee, Trustee
James "Jim" Murphy is a retired civil litigation attorney and former Navy JAG officer. A longtime resident of Wickford, he brings legal expertise, leadership experience, and a deep interest in Rhode Island history to the Board of Trustees.
Jim is particularly interested in exploring the interconnected histories of the Narragansett people, early English settlers, and the generations that followed. His work at Smith’s Castle supports the organization’s mission to present a thoughtful and inclusive interpretation of Rhode Island’s past.
Ann Casey
— Executive Committee, Trustee
Ann Casey is a lifelong Rhode Island resident and retired educator with more than 40 years of experience in the Warwick School Department as both an elementary teacher and instructional leader. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Rhode Island and an M.Ed. in Educational Psychology from Rhode Island College.
Throughout her career, Ann served in leadership roles within professional organizations, educational committees, and community groups. A certified Master Gardener since 2004, she leads the Smith’s Castle Historic Gardens and brings expertise in education, volunteer management, and historic landscape stewardship to the organization.
Mark Burnham
— Executive Committee, Trustee, Docent Representative
Mark Burnham brings a passion for public history, historical interpretation, and community education to the Smith’s Castle Board of Trustees. A retired Rhode Island attorney, watercolor artist, and historical interpreter, he has spent the past eight years helping visitors connect with the stories that shaped Rhode Island and the nation.
Mark has served as a docent at the Stephen Hopkins House in Providence, led the 300 Years of College Hill and International Slave Trade walking tours, and now guides visitors through the many layers of history represented at Smith’s Castle. Through these experiences, he has developed a deep appreciation for the complexity of America’s past and the importance of presenting history in a way that reflects the experiences of all who shaped it.
As a trustee and docent, Mark is committed to helping visitors explore Rhode Island’s history with curiosity, understanding, and respect for the diverse stories that continue to inform our present.
John Brown
— Trustee
John Brown played a key role in developing Smith's Castle's land acknowledgment, ensuring that the statement accurately reflects the history and enduring presence of the Narragansett people on their ancestral homelands, where Smith's Castle is located. His guidance has strengthened the organization's interpretation of Indigenous history and broadened its understanding of the many communities whose stories are connected to this place.
Through his service on the Board, John helps advance Smith's Castle's commitment to presenting a more complete and inclusive account of Rhode Island's history.
Donna Correira
— Trustee
Donna Correria brings decades of organizational and administrative leadership experience from her career with the East Greenwich Public Schools, where she served as Administrative Assistant and Office Manager for Special Education. An active volunteer in Rhode Island's preservation community, she has served as a docent and board member at several historic sites and museums. Her experience in volunteer engagement, education, and historic interpretation supports Smith's Castle's commitment to connecting visitors with Rhode Island's rich history.
Ericka Bruce Devine
— Trustee
Erika Bruce Devine brings expertise in financial planning, client service, and community engagement to the Board of Trustees at Smith's Castle. She and her husband, Ian, are Financial Advisors with Edward Jones, where they help individuals and families navigate important financial decisions and build long-term financial confidence.
A member of the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, the Wickford Village Association, and Historic Wickford, Inc., Erika is committed to strengthening the community through civic involvement and historic preservation. She brings a relationship-focused approach to board service and supports Smith's Castle's mission to preserve and share Rhode Island's rich history.
Robert Geake
— Trustee, Chair Education Committee, Chair Education Center Committee
Robert A. Geake is a public historian and the author of seventeen books on Rhode Island and New England history. A former President and Vice President of The Cocumcussoc Association, he continues to serve as a Trustee and Chair of the Education Committee.
Under his leadership, Smith’s Castle expanded its adult educational programming, including the landmark seminars Roger Was Here (2019) and Anchored in Rhode Island: The Slave Trade and Reckoning with Our Past (2023).
Robert contributes regularly to historical publications and blogs and has written for educational initiatives of both the Rhode Island Historical Society and the Rhode Island Department of Education.
Michelle Girasole
— Trustee, Publicity Committee
Michelle Girasole brings more than 30 years of experience in digital marketing, technology, and public engagement to Smith’s Castle. As a member of the Publicity Committee, she helps expand awareness of the site through innovative digital outreach and educational programming.
Michelle is the founder of a North Kingstown-based technology company and has developed a variety of history-focused digital experiences, including mobile-app scavenger hunts and self-guided historical tours. In 2023, she created a video-based self-guided tour of the Smith’s Castle grounds, helping visitors engage with the site in new and accessible ways.
Janet Hatch
— Trustee
Janet Hatch is an educator with more than three decades of experience in early childhood and primary education. She holds a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education and spent six years teaching in England before continuing her career in the United States, where she owned and operated a preschool and daycare program for 28 years.
A dedicated Smith's Castle volunteer since 2003, Janet has served as a docent, docent leader, greeter, and trustee. Now serving her second term on the Board of Trustees, she remains passionate about sharing the history of Smith's Castle and creating meaningful experiences for visitors of all ages.
John McNiff
— Trustee, Safety Committee
John McNiff is a Rhode Island–based historian, archaeologist, storyteller, and performer who brings the world of 17th-century New England vividly to life. A retired National Park Service ranger and lifelong reenactor, he combines decades of fieldwork across New England, England, and Mexico with a background in theater and film to interpret the past with rare immediacy. Specializing in Roger Williams and early colonial history, McNiff focuses on the lived experiences of ordinary people navigating extraordinary change, blending scholarship, grit, and performance to reveal the shared humanity at the heart of history.
Jason Roomes
— Trustee
Jason Roomes is a lifelong Rhode Island resident whose family history is deeply connected to North Kingstown and the founding of the nation. Descended from ancestors enslaved on Rome Point Farm, he is dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of African Americans whose contributions to American history have often been overlooked.
His family's legacy of service includes relatives who fought in the Revolutionary War with the Continental Navy, local militia, and the First Rhode Island Regiment, as well as family members who served in the Civil War with the 14th Rhode Island Colored Heavy Artillery and the famed 54th and 55th Massachusetts Regiments.
A passionate historian and living-history interpreter, Jason portrays his Revolutionary War-era ancestors through reenactment and helps educate the public about the role African Americans played in building and defending the United States. He has volunteered extensively at Smith's Castle, supporting educational programs, special events, and partnerships with other historic organizations.
Professionally, Jason has worked for more than twenty years with the Massachusetts Department of Correction and holds multiple licenses in environmental systems, water and wastewater treatment, HVAC, sheet metal, and home improvement contracting.
As a trustee, Jason brings historical insight, community commitment, and practical expertise to advancing Smith's Castle's mission.
Michael Simpson
— Trustee, Education Committee
Michael J. Simpson is a historian, educator, farmer, and policy advocate whose work focuses on Rhode Island history, public education, and community engagement. He teaches U.S. history at Johnson & Wales University and Roger Williams University and holds graduate degrees in history, classics, philosophy, and religion.
Michael's research explores Rhode Island colonial history, Indigenous history, slavery, the American Revolution, environmental history, and public memory. He has worked with organizations including Rhode Island Slave History Medallions and the Fort Adams Trust, where he serves as Public History Program Coordinator.
He is also co-founder of Lovewell Farms, Rhode Island's first USDA-certified organic hemp farm. Through his work in history, agriculture, and public policy, Michael seeks to strengthen communities and deepen understanding of Rhode Island's diverse past.
Jen Sullentrop
— Trustee
Jen Sullentrop is Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at Fidelity Investments, where she leads legal teams supporting major business operations and asset management activities. Her professional experience in governance, compliance, and organizational leadership provides valuable perspective to Smith's Castle's Board of Trustees. A longtime advocate for historic preservation, Jenn has served with Preserve Rhode Island, the East Greenwich Historic Preservation Society, and the Rhode Island Land Trust Council. She is passionate about preserving Rhode Island's historic places and ensuring their stories remain accessible to future generations.
Randy Wietman
— Trustee
A retired U.S. Navy Commander, Randy served his country for 30 years on active duty before spending an additional five years at the U.S. Naval War College in Newport as the International Military Student Officer. His military career provided extensive experience in leadership, strategic planning, and organizational management.
He remains actively engaged in civic and community service as President of HistWick, Vice Chair of North Kingstown's 250th Anniversary Committee, and a member of the board of the Quonset Development Corporation.