Our Team

joan.Ilacqua@historyproject.org

Joan Ilacqua (she/hers) became The History Project's inaugural Executive Director in January 2020. She previously served as Co-Chair of The History Project’s board of directors and as Harvard Medical School’s Archivist for Diversity and Inclusion.

Joan serves on the steering committee of the Community Archives Collaborative and Boston Commemoration Commission. She is a former member of the New England Archivists’ Inclusion and Diversity Committee and the Massachusetts State Historic Records Advisory Board.

Joan is a graduate of UMass Boston’s Public History master’s program, and earned her Bachelor of Arts at the University of Puget Sound. In her free time, Joan likes to read queer romance novels and spend time with her wife and two cats. You can learn more about Joan's work atilacquajoan.com.

mik.hamilton@historyproject.org

Mik Hamilton (they/any pronouns) earned their Master of Library and Information Science in Archives Management from Simmons University. Since 2016, Mik has worked and interned with various archives, including positions at Cornell University, the Smithsonian National Museum for the American Indian, and Harvard University. Mik's research interests include queer organizational histories, local LGBTQ+ grassroots efforts, and reparative archival practices.

Mik earned their BA in Classics and Archaeology at Cornell University. In their spare time, Mik is a bit of a Wikipedia enthusiast. They have facilitated several Wikipedia edit-a-thons and created an instructional LibGuide,Wikipedia for Archivists, which demonstrates how to improve archival discoverability using Wikipedia. When their mind isn’t on archives, they enjoy spending time outdoors with friends, or indoors with their mischievous cat.

matisse.dupont@historyproject.org

Matisse DuPont (they/any pronouns) earned an MA in Gender and Cultural Studies from Simmons University, where they focused on queer and trans history, media representation, and identity formations. After years of being an educator and consultant for LGBTQIA+ issues, they are now helping with the behind-the-scenes work at The History Project. Matisse also founded Queer Artists & Players, an all-volunteer recreational community theatre company by and for the LGBTQIA+ community in the Boston area. Beyond all this, they are a painter, dog mom, and love to take road trips with their partner.