KATHARINA KELSEY (2022–2027)

PRESIDENT  | Technology | Membership | Communication

Katharina Kelsey joined the board in the fall of 2022. Retired from the tech world she assisted establishing a shared cloud drive, mass email client, and online donation site for the organization. Prior to joining the board she was somewhat allergic to any kind of history given that her experience was only having to memorize dates and names with little regard to stories. As a teenager she wrote these lines to highlight her displeasure with her high school history class. "History's a mystery to me. I'm a child of the future you see....Who wants to feel sorrow. I'm built for tomorrow!"

 

Now, however, her work with the historical society and the stories she has heard have piqued her interest in our wonderful town. Recently, while helping research an upcoming exhibit at the Museum of the White Mountains, she learned about all the floods in Plymouth and the effect on the town, the most devastating being caused by the hurricane of 1938.

 

She looks forward to learning more, connecting with community members to hear their compelling stories, and working on new initiatives with energetic members to “leave the wood pile higher and build for tomorrow.”

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LISA LUNDARI  (2024–2027)
VICE PRESIDENT

Exhibits | Website | Promotions | Presentations

Research | Newsletter | Page In History Project 
Lisa was born in New Hampshire and grew up in Nashua, after a brief period on Long Island, NY. She came to Plymouth for work after college and fell in love with the town. She first worked at Kwik Print and then helped to found True Colors Print & Design. She also volunteered and served on the boards of several non-profits (Plymouth Area Community Closet, Main Street Plymouth, Inc., Plymouth Area Democrats, as well as helping to start the long-standing fundraising events Keep the Heat On! and Plymouth Town-Wide Yard Sales.

She is a past president of PHS (2008–2014), was co-chair of Plymouth's 250th Anniversary (2012–2013) celebration, and a contributor to and designer of the book, Five More Decades in Plymouth, New Hampshire 1963–2013. She also worked with Louise Samaha McCormack on her book, Draper and Maynard Sporting Goods Company: A Community Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow and is currently working with Louise on her forthcoming book, Bits and Pieces from Plymouth's Past.

Lisa is a graphic designer with over 40 years of experience, most of which has been in the greater Plymouth area. She enjoys using her design skills to tell the stories of Plymouth’s past through exhibits and books, and is currently working on  PHS’ Page In History project to proactively encourage and assist others in sharing their stories with future generations. Please contact her if you are interested in taking part in this project. (lisalundari@gmail.com|603-481-1236)

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CHARLOTTE CRANE  (2025–2028)

TREASURER | Membership

Although not born in Plymouth, Charlotte spent most of her elementary and high school years living in Plymouth. Moving away in stages — college in Massachusetts, to law school in Michigan — she spent almost fifty years in Chicago. She first worked as a lawyer for a firm specializing in tax law, and then taught tax law at the Northwestern University Pritzker Law School. While living in the Chicago area, she served on the boards of a transitional housing charity, a nonpartisan political caucus, and several

professional organizations, including the Order of the Coif.

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ABIGAIL BATCHELDER (2025–2028)

Archives | Retail

 

Abigail Batchelder grew up in Berlin, NH. She came to Plymouth in 1998 to attend Plymouth State College, and met her husband there. They have called Plymouth home since 2004. Abby’s deep connection to the community has continued to grow over the years, both personally and professionally. She is the proud mother of two children and values spending quality time with her family.

 

Abby has always loved working with children. She works as a Special Education Paraprofessional at Plymouth Elementary School, where she enjoys supporting students and being part of their learning journey. She is an active member and Treasurer of the PTA and currently serves as a Trustee of the Pease Public Library.

 

Outside of her professional and volunteer work, Abby enjoys photography, crafting, jigsaw puzzles, and is in a three-season curling league. Since joining the Board in February 2025, she continues to discover ways she may contribute to the Plymouth Historical Society.

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JUDY FARAN  (2025–2028)

Archives | Research | Inquiries

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Judy is a resident of Bridgewater, where her family and ancestors have lived since the early 1800s. She also traces her roots to one of Plymouth’s founding fathers, Colonel David Webster.

 

Before moving back to New Hampshire, she spent many years working for and traveling in the National Parks.

 

Currently Judy is filling up her retirement with projects. Besides the Plymouth Historical Society, she is treasurer of the Bridgewater Historical Society; is the secretary for the Pemigewasset River Local Advisory Committee; has served on the Bridgewater Old Home Day Committee; and is a Commissioner for the Lakes Region Planning Commission. 

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LOUISE SAMAHA McCORMACK  (2024–2027)
Community Liaison | Oral Histories  

Louise Samaha McCormack was born, educated, taught in, and lived in

Plymouth/Holderness for most of her life. Professionally, she taught at Brooklyn College from 1973–1976, yet retired from Plymouth State

University in 2016 after 36 years as a Physical Education and Health

Education faculty member and coordinator of its Teacher Education

Preparation Program.

Although her love of teaching is still visible, she found her passion when delving into the history of the town where she was born and the university she attended and at which she taught. Since retirement, she has become involved with the historical society as a member as well as a past vice-president and past president.

Her greatest contribution has been creating the Memories of

Plymouth program that has been supported by Pemi-Baker TV

for the last nine years. Each episode is an approximately one-hour interview of persons from Plymouth and surrounding communities, who were born, educated, worked, and/or socialized in this town. She thanks the individuals she has interviewed, some of whom spent hours with her prior to, during and after the interview. The stories of their background and memories share what an incredible place Plymouth is. Louise has also authored/co-authored four books— all historical accounts of the town or Plymouth State.

She is married to her best friend, Phillip McCormack, and they have two children, Brenten, and Devin-Jean who currently live in Oregon and Texas, respectively.

Louise’s message — Save your family history through pictures, CDs,

and DVDs making sure to identify the people, locations, events, and relationship to one another. Future generations will thank you!

 

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CELIA GIBB  (2026–2029)

 

Celia Gibbs was born in Derry New Hampshire when her family moved briefly to the southern part of the state. Her father Ivan and 3 older sisters, Susan, Judy and Mary Ellen all graduated from Plymouth High School. Celia attended school in Plymouth from Kindergarten to grade 8, moving at that time to live with her sister in Tilton as her mother, Faye, moved to Springfield, MA to be with father who was at Westover Air Force Base. Celia has wonderful childhood memories of days spent in the Daniel Webster Courthouse when it was the Plymouth Town Library.

 

Celia moved back to Plymouth as soon as she could, transferring from Keene State College to Plymouth State College. She went on to the University of New Hampshire for her graduate degree in Counseling. She worked at Lakes Region Mental Health as a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, first in Laconia and then Plymouth, retiring in 2024 as the Chief Clinical Officer. Past volunteer experiences include Habitat for Humanity in the 1980s and ’90s, and what was then the Plymouth Area Task Force Against Domestic Violence (now Voices Against Violence) during the same time period.

 

Plymouth is home to Celia, and a passion; the community, the college, and the people.