Our Staff

Rebecca Hart
Executive Director

rebecca@hartsquare.com

After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill with a degree in English and Creative Writing, Hart worked in education, journalism, and music before starting at Hart Square Foundation in 2014. When Rebecca began, Hart Square was open to the public one day a year and had one employee.  In her first five years, she raised $4 million for the Sigmon Family Education Center, completed in October 2021. 

Rebecca loves seeing the Village full of people and creating opportunities to invite and engage the public with traditional arts and history.  She believes that cultural heritage should be inclusive and relational. Rebecca serves on the Board of Advisors for the Luke Garrison Foundation and the Arts Culture Catawba Board of Directors.

In 2017, she was recognized as one of Hickory’s “Top 10 under 40” and holds her Certified Fund Raising Executive International certification. Hart is pursuing her Master's Degree in cultural heritage management from Johns Hopkins University and enjoys spending her free time volunteering with Hurricane Helene relief efforts.

Lorissa Vines
Development Director

lorissa@hartsquare.com

With 20 years of rich experience in the nonprofit sector, she joined our team in June 2022, transitioning from her role as the Director of Development at Carolina Caring, where she spearheaded several successful community outreach and philanthropic initiatives.

Lorissa discovered her passion for Hart Square through Leadership Catawba. Since joining the Hart Square team, she has shared and preserved Hart Square Village through community outreach and philanthropy. She is honored to help preserve the 200—to 300-year-old cabins entrusted to our care and to preserve endangered traditional arts and trades.  

 Lorissa Graduated from the Leadership Catawba program in March 2020 and served as an Advisory Board Member from 2020 to 2023. Lorissa was recognized as one of our area's "Top 10 Under 40" in 2019 and completed her Teleios University Leadership Certification in 2021. When she isn't working, Lorissa enjoys hiking, cooking & entertaining friends, and traveling the world with her husband, David.

Mya Banner
Program Director

mya@hartsquare.com

Mya Banner has been with Hart Square for five years. She started as a tour guide and field trip demonstrator, where she served children and adults by teaching the history of the collection and local trades. Mya began working full-time for Hart Square as a Membership and Education Manager in 2020. She oversaw the launch of our Hart Square Membership Program in July 2021 and launched the Hart Square Folkways Program in March 2022. Mya was promoted to Program Director in 2024 and manages field trip programming, folkways classes, and community events. She is also Hart Square's social media, webpage, and marketing team lead. 

Laurie Medford
Program & Volunteer Coordinator

laurie@hartsquare.com

Laurie is a historian and potter. She came to Hart Square in 2025 after six years as a living history volunteer with several State Historic Sites, including nearby Fort Dobbs. She has a master’s degree in history from UNC-Chapel Hill and is passionate about accessible, hands-on history education. Laurie loves working with dedicated, skilled, knowledgeable volunteers and staff to ensure that programs run smoothly.

Originally from rural Wisconsin, Laurie found her home in North Carolina over a decade ago. She enjoys sewing, gardening, and throwing pottery on a kick wheel. She focuses on reproducing historical North Carolina earthenware and creating modern stoneware with historical influences.

David Setzer
Buildings & Grounds Maintenance


Bio and photo coming soon. Part-time Friday-Saturday

Nicole Haney
Guest Experience Coordinator

nicole@hartsquare.com

Nicole Haney, a California native, moved to North Carolina in 2019 after serving with Mercy Ships, an African international healthcare non-profit. She has a passion for administration, history, and learning. She joined our team in 2023 and brings a skill set in many fields, specifically bookkeeping, non-profit administration, and purchasing, with a wealth of experience in the non-profit sector. 

Nicole graduated from California State University at Sacramento with a B.S. in Gerontology and has a special place in her heart for senior citizens. She is the first friendly face you will see when you visit!

Darrell Hutchens
Buildings & Grounds Maintenance

Hutchens spent his 32-year professional life dedicated to law enforcement as a Sheriff's Deputy with Yadkin County. In his final 8 years, he worked in management overseeing 78 employees, including dispatch, criminal investigations, civil division, detention center, and patrol division. As a  North Carolina native, Hutchens always enjoyed history, old homes, and antiques. He restored his family's 1889 farm home in the foothills of N.C. with his wife, Connie, and has always enjoyed spending time at the family property with their lap dog, Buttercup.  

He joined the Hart Square volunteer team in 2021 and came out of retirement to join the team part-time Wednesday through Friday. Hutchens has also taught at the community college since 2001. In his free time, he has spent years costume building, performing, and traveling the country by motorcycle. 

Emma Saunders
Event Assistant

Bio and photo coming soon. Part-time Monday.

 

Saturday Manager

Now Hiring!

Our Board

Dr. Eric Hart - Board President
Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Health Stat, Inc.
Physician, Hart Family Practice
Hickory, NC

Brett Sturm
Restoration Specialist, NC State Historic Preservation Office
Ceramic artist and photographer
Raleigh, NC

Katie Pritchard  - Treasurer
Senior Vice President of Finance, Valdese Weavers
Hickory, NC

Gail Boyles
Purchasing Representative, Blum Inc.
Traditional Fiber Artist
Lincolnton, NC

Ian Bumgarner
Budget & Management Analyst, Catawba County Government
Hickory, NC

Jaimie Beatty
Senior Database Administrator, Davidson College
Woodworker and buildings craftsperson
Maiden, NC 

Keith Hart
Retired VP of Sales and Marketing, King Hickory Furniture
Linville, NC

Becky Gladden
Retired Catawba County and Hickory Public Schools Librarian
Vale, NC

Rebecca Yoder
Legal Partner, The Jonas Law Firm, PLLC.
Lincolnton, NC