Everitt Joins Staff of Historic Hyde Hall

By SARAH ROBERTS
SPRINGFIELD

Hyde Hall has hired a new events manager, Verna Everitt.

Everitt describes herself as “a visionary leader who enjoys looking at the big picture, identifying challenges and surmounting obstacles to achieve solutions.” She has past experience as the executive director of the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts and the Vashon Community Care Foundation, community outreach director at Vashon Center for the Arts, and as an independent film and commercial producer at Mid Metro Productions.

Everitt holds a master’s in fine arts in nonprofit arts leadership from Seattle University and a bachelor’s in international relations from UCLA.

“Verna Everitt comes with great leadership qualifications for the events manager position at Hyde Hall,” said Executive Director Jonathan Maney. “She has extensive fundraising experience and worked as a film producer with her husband, Tim, in Los Angeles.

“She brings substantial experience to us and she will be a significant asset as we develop exciting new programming for next year,” Maney said.

Everitt will be responsible for Hyde Hall’s 15 programs in 2025, including a Regency Soiree on Saturday, June 21 and the Victorian Candlelight Christmas Tour later this season.

“Working closely with our staff, Verna will provide leadership for the planning and execution of all events at Hyde Hall,” Maney continued.

“It’s an honor to now be a small part of a grand, historically significant, American treasure here at Hyde Hall,” Everitt said.

When asked what she would like to add to Hyde Hall’s existing programming, Everitt said she would “like to find new avenues to involve the local schools. We have a truly amazing [and] very inviting country home that children, I believe, will be awed by, learn from, and perhaps be inspired to explore, create, and dream of a future grounded in our rich cultural past.”

Everitt added that she also imagines “a lecture series focusing on Hyde Hall’s history, including its authentic furniture, lighting, decorative arts, the kitchen and culinary particulars, and tie it all into our surrounding area, New York, the nation and the early 19th and 20th century world at large.”

Hyde Hall is a Regency-era historic house, National Historic Landmark, and museum. In keeping with its mission to “preserve and share Hyde Hall, promote research, and develop inclusive educational programs and events that help diverse audiences explore, appreciate, and understand history,” Hyde Hall offers tours, events, and arts programming.

Hyde Hall, located at 267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, reopened on Saturday, May 24 for the season. Tours are available for $15.00 for adults, with a 20 percent discount for seniors, military, and youth, and with free entry for those under 10 years of age.

Tour options include the Home and Family Tour, the Dangerous Victorian House Tour and, for a slightly higher fee and for groups of 10 or more, the Group Ghost Tour. All tours are one hour long. Visit hydehall.org to learn more.