Meet Douglas Propheter, Heritage Frederick's new executive director

Mar. 9—Heritage Frederick, Frederick County's 130-year-old historical society, has a new leader at its helm.

Douglas Propheter started as an employee at the nonprofit in late January after initially becoming involved as a consultant in November. He's been interested in history since he was a kid, he wrote in an email, and holds a master's degree in the topic.

"I'm the sort of person who stops and reads all the wayside signs," he wrote. "So, from that standpoint, I knew [becoming Heritage Frederick's executive director] would be something that was fun."

Currently a board member for the Thurmont Historical Society and Seton Center and a volunteer on the scholarship committee for Frederick County's Community Foundation, Propheter has more than 25 years of executive and nonprofit experience, according to a Feb. 25 press release from Heritage Frederick.

He served as the CEO at Workforce Solutions Group for over a decade and spent three years as chief administrative officer for a company with $20 million in revenue, according to the release. As well as his history degree, Propheter also holds a bachelor's degree in economics and completed a Weinberg Fellowship, a program meant to foster growth among nonprofit leaders.

Under Propheter's leadership, Heritage Frederick will be moving forward with renovation projects at both of its facilities, the new executive director wrote in an email.

"We're particularly interested in helping the historic house museum on Church Street find its old form and recapture the elegance and charm from its earlier eras," he wrote.

The nonprofit expects to resume its walking tours in April and is speaking with partner organizations about collaborating on projects, including a speaker series it has hosted for years, Propheter wrote. Heritage Frederick is also speaking with these groups about how to share visitors by introducing their regulars to partner organizations, he added. This is one way the nonprofit can reach more people and more diverse populations, he wrote.

Heritage Frederick has additionally invited "one or two" organizations that have limited space to consider using the nonprofit's space to share their artifacts with the public, Propheter wrote.

"We're thinking purposefully about how to ensure the stories we tell going forward are inclusive," he wrote.

In the Feb. 25 press release, Carrie Delente, board president for Heritage Frederick, said the nonprofit is very fortunate to have Propheter join its team.

"His active involvement and enthusiasm for our local history coupled with his extensive experience in planning, budgets, mentoring, and writing makes him the perfect fit for this role," she said. "We're excited about the possibilities for our staff, programs, and partners."

Follow Angela Roberts on Twitter: @24_angier