David Lee Is at Home at the National First Ladies Library & Museum
Named interim CEO and president, Lee plans to build on the NFLLM’s growing national presence.
On Independence Day eve there was a flurry of activity on the Canton, Ohio-based National First Ladies Library & Museum campus with visitors touring the museum building and adjacent historic home of Ida Saxton McKinley, a former first lady (1897 to 1901) married to former President William McKinley who was assassinated in 1901.
Over the Fourth of July holiday the site stayed open.
“Visitors can come a see American history in action,” David Lee, the newly named CEO and president of the National First Ladies Library & Museum, told East Wing Magazine just days after he stepped into the interim role after Patty Dowd Schmitz stepped down from the position on July 1.
While visitors explored the museum’s recently launched “The Eras Exhibit: 250 Years of First Ladies Progress and Power,” a sweeping photo-driven display of presidential spouses and their impact, Lee was upstairs buried in preparations for the upcoming NFLLM’s fall gala that will celebrate 25 years of the historic site’s dedication and the creation a new NFLLM National Advisory Board designed to broaden the organization’s national profile.
“We’re always talking about what the future of first ladies will hold and what the visitor experience will be, and really looking toward the future and how we can best serve our guests,” Lee said, noting that their “Eras” exhibit has been particularly popular based on social media comments like: “I’m obsessed with this!”
Lee credits that kind of enthusiasm over the exhibit to the pop culture connection they created to iconic singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.
“If we can just open the door to accessibility for someone that’s younger that wants to engage with first ladies stories, even if it’s just one younger person that comes because they heard the name,” Lee said. “I think we really knocked it out of the park bringing those folks here.”
Lee, a native of Stark County where the NFLLM is situated, has lived in the shadow of Ida Saxton McKinley’s legacy all his life. After graduating from the local high school, Lee attended and later graduated from Malone University, also in Stark County. He was selected as a Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce Twenty under 40! honoree in 2024. And, he has vivid memories of touring the former first lady’s historic home while still in high school.
“I was very much aware of President McKinley and Mrs. McKinley for sure,” he said.
Lee had been working as the NFLLM director of marketing and development since 2023 before moving into the CEO and president position. Before that, he was the director of development for the County Arts Council in Stark County where he raised more than $1.6 million annually for arts and culture in the community. He also brings with him experience in running a black box theater, also in Stark County, that produced children’s theater, adult theater and stage readings of new works.
“Arts and culture has always been a big part of my life,” he said. “First ladies, of course, fall right into that.”
In fact, over the past year, Lee and Schmitz took the NFLLM’s programming on the road hosting discussion panels in Florida and Arizona. It’s that kind of national presence Lee plans to build on.
“I am thrilled that David Lee is stepping into the leadership role at the National First Ladies Library and Museum. His energy and passion for the mission, combined with his ability to think strategically and fundraise the dollars needed to execute the goals of the organization, will ensure that NFLLM continues the momentum we have gained over the past several years,” Schmitz said in an email. “David and I have worked closely together to shepherd this organization, and I’m so glad he will be taking the helm.”
Board chair Jacqueline Musaccchia in a statement said Lee brings “creativity, a deep passion for our mission, and a strong understanding if where we’re headed.”
Lee also plans to “double down” on the organization’s student programming as another way they can engage with a younger population both locally and nationally. In the meantime, his focus revolves around strategic planning that will help sustain the organization for years to come.
Today! Editor Jennifer Taylor Shares the Vision Behind East Wing Magazine
Jennifer Taylor, editor and founder of East Wing Magazine, a journalistic-driven publication covering first ladies past and present, joins Adam Lowe, the host of American FLOTUS, in a new podcast episode that drops on Monday. American FLOTUS launched last year in partnership with the First Ladies Association for Research and Education. They discuss how Taylor’s new publication helps spotlight America’s first ladies, their legacies and lasting impact. Lowe is also the host of American POTUS, a podcast focusing on the American presidency with more than 100 episodes. Listen here
Calendar
July 17, 2025
Third Thursday Wine & Cheese: An Evening with Ida Saxton McKinley
The National First Ladies Library & Museum will host “Third Thursday Wine & Cheese: An Evening with Ida Saxton McKinley” on July 17 at the Saxton-McKinley House in Canton, Ohio, for a summer evening filled with flavor and history. Attendees will enjoy a curated selection of wines and cheeses while exploring First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley’s personal White House effects—featuring authentic artifacts from her years as first lady. Read more
July 18, 2025
Legacy Lecture: Jackie and the Summer White House with Kate Storey
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents a virtual lunchtime lecture with Kate Storey, bestselling author of White House by the Sea and Features Director at Rolling Stone. On Friday, July 18 at noon ET, Storey will share the behind-the-scenes of Jackie Kennedy’s life at the Summer White House in Hyannis Port—where history, family, and legacy collided. Read more
July 19, 2025
Children’s Book Talk: First Ladies Make History
George Washington’s Mount Vernon presents a reading of First Ladies Make History by authors Anita McBride and Giovanna McBride at 12:30 p.m. in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith Auditorium. This children’s book explains there is no rule book defining the role of the first lady, yet the first ladies have worked hard to make the world a better place for more than two hundred years. First Ladies Make History takes young readers on a journey with the first ladies to discover the important contributions they have made throughout American history. Pick up your copy at The Shops at Mount Vernon, and have it signed from 1 to 2 p.m. Read more
Select Saturdays through Oct. 18, 2025
Tales from the First Lady
Mount Vernon invites you to step back in time and join Martha Washington for a special in-person storytelling adventure at 10 a.m. on select Saturdays from July 19 through Oct. 18, 2025. Designed for children ages 4-7, this engaging 30-40 minute program offers a unique opportunity to hear a captivating children's story read aloud by Mrs. Washington herself. Read more
July 24, 2025
Trivia Night: Summer at the White House
Calling all history buffs! Grab your team of 2-6 and join us for White House history trivia night at The People’s House: A White House Experience. Questions will cover a variety of topics in three rounds of trivia featuring summer-themed White House history, presidents and first ladies, and popular culture.
Guests will be provided with two drink tickets with purchase. A valid ID is required for any adult beverage. Non-alcoholic options will be offered, as well as light snacks during game play.
Doors open at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW at 6 p.m. in Washington, D.C.; trivia will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. Guests must register in advance; no walk-in guests will be permitted. Prizes will be handed out for the teams who place 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
July 27, 2025
Children’s Book Event with Author Lee Wind
The Eleanor Roosevelt Center presents a special family-friendly event on July 27, 2025, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2 to 3:30 p.m. local time at the Playhouse at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Hyde Park, New York, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Eleanor Roosevelt through the new children’s book Like That Eleanor: The Amazing Power of Being an Ally by Lee Wind and illustrated by Kelly Mangan. The event is free, but a donation of $10 or more is appreciated and will help fund future Eleanor Roosevelt Center programming.
This story introduces young readers to the power of allyship and how just one voice—like Eleanor’s—can help create a more fair and compassionate world.
Program includes:
A book reading and Q&A with author Lee Wind
A kid-friendly tour of Eleanor Roosevelt’s beloved Val-Kill cottage
Hands-on craft activities inspired by Eleanor’s life and values
Earn your allyship badge!
A special appearance by Anna Eleanor Fierst, Eleanor Roosevelt’s great-granddaughter, who will join the author for a family Q&A
Each child registered will receive a copy of the book Like That Eleanor to take home and enjoy! Registration is required due to limited space, walk-ins will not be accepted.
Suggested donation: $10 per child. All proceeds support future programming.
Aug. 8, 2025
Legacy Lecture: In Her Steps: Betty Ford’s Life in Motion
The National First Ladies Library & Museum presents the virtual Legacy Lecture “In Her Steps: Betty Ford’s Life in Motion,” on Friday, Aug. 8, at noon ET by Sharon Snowden, a former state president for Colonial Dames 17th Century and Daughters of the American Colonists. Snowden, a docent at the National First Ladies Historical Site, presents portrayals all over Ohio of many first ladies and historic women, as well as other programs for children and adults. Betty Ford is a first lady who reshaped the role through her candid activism and powerful advocacy on women’s rights, addiction, and health. Read more
Aug. 15-17, 2025
Rosalynn Carter’s Butterfly Daze
Mark the calendar for the annual Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Daze, a weekend celebrating the life and legacy of the former first lady in her hometown of Plains, Georgia, leading up to what would be her 98th birthday. The event, from Aug. 15-17, is organized by the Friends of Jimmy Carter. More details about the 2025 weekend are forthcoming.
FLARE Announces Call for Submissions for New E-journal
The First Ladies Association for Research and Education (FLARE) invites submissions to a new e-journal, FLARE’s Journal of First Ladies Studies, which is scheduled for launch early in 2026. The journal welcomes scholarly submissions based on original research on any aspect of the study of first ladies, including work that examines them within a historical context, adopts a comparative perspective, presents a theoretical approach, or offers an interdisciplinary framework for analysis in fields such as history, women’s studies, communication, sociology, political science, material culture, and historic preservation.
Inquiries about potential articles in the journal should be directed to the journal’s editor, Christopher J. Leahy, Professor of History at Keuka College, at cleahy@keuka.edu.
Submit calendar items, announcements and press releases to East Wing Magazine at jtaylor@eastwingmagazine.com.