Charles A. Wash Jr.
Pickerington,OH
Summary
Results-driven leader with strong background in strategic management and organizational growth. Skilled in developing and implementing effective business strategies, optimizing processes, and driving team performance. Known for adaptability, effective collaboration, and delivering measurable outcomes in dynamic environments. Strong communication and problem-solving abilities, coupled with focus on fostering productive and positive team culture.
Professional with robust background in directing and managing large-scale operations, consistently driving success through strategic planning and execution. Adept at implementing innovative solutions that enhance productivity and operational effectiveness. Known for fostering teamwork and adapting to evolving business needs, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
Knowledgeable Director with proven history of leading high-performing teams and executing strategic initiatives that drive organizational growth. Successfully directed cross-functional projects that resulted in significant process improvements and operational efficiencies. Demonstrated leadership and communication skills in fostering collaborative environments and delivering impactful results.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director
National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
11.2011 - 10.2025
- Director of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center of the Ohio History Connection, Wilberforce, OH.
- Led strategic initiatives to enhance community engagement and cultural education programs.
- Developed partnerships with local organizations to expand outreach efforts and increase participation.
- Oversaw budgeting and resource allocation for museum operations, ensuring financial sustainability.
- Directed team of educators and curators in creating innovative exhibits that highlight African American history.
- Implemented evaluation frameworks to assess program effectiveness and drive continuous improvement.
- Coordinated fundraising campaigns, increasing revenue for educational initiatives and community events.
- Mentored staff in best practices for program development, fostering professional growth within the team.
- Advocated for diversity and inclusion in all aspects of museum programming and staffing decisions.
- Developed high-performing teams by providing mentorship, guidance, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Enhanced team collaboration through regular communication, goal setting, and performance evaluations.
- Established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
- Managed budgets effectively to ensure optimal use of resources while maintaining financial stability.
- Improved project efficiency with strategic planning, resource allocation, and time management practices.
- Spearheaded successful product launches that resulted in increased brand visibility and customer acquisition.
- Elevated company profile in industry by spearheading comprehensive rebranding initiative.
- Strengthened financial health with rigorous cost control measures and revenue enhancement strategies.
- Recruited, hired, and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organization.
Adjunct Professor
Central State University
08.2009 - 05.2023
- Adjunct Professor, Humanities Department, Central State University. Administered and taught undergraduate courses on the history of Africans in the United States from colonial era to the present, as well as Latin American History from pre-Columbian to modern times.
- Developed comprehensive course materials that enhanced curriculum engagement and student learning outcomes.
- Facilitated dynamic classroom discussions to encourage critical thinking and collaborative learning among students.
- Evaluated student performance through assessments, providing constructive feedback to foster academic improvement.
- Implemented innovative teaching strategies that increased student retention rates and overall satisfaction with courses.
- Built relationships with students, mentoring on personal, professional and academic goals while providing coaching on effective study habits.
Archivist I
National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
02.2010 - 11.2011
- Archivist at the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, Ohio Historical Society, Wilberforce, OH.
- Administered all of the components of the IMLS Grant received in 2009, including the assessment of the state of the archival and manuscript collections, develop and implement a collections management plan and processing manual used as the foundation of the broader Archival/Library Management system.
- Training of NAAMCC staff in properly digitizing photographs and other 2D items to be uploaded in CONTENTdm, the administrative platform for the Ohio Memory web site.
- Acted as the Information Technology liaison to the Ohio Historical Society’s Information Technology Department.
- Led initiatives to improve access to archival resources through systematic organization and indexing.
- Curated and preserved archival collections to enhance cultural heritage representation.
- Developed and implemented digital preservation strategies for historically significant materials.
Gubernatorial Records Archivist
Ohio Historical Society
11.2007 - 02.2010
- Gubernatorial Records Archivist, State Archives, Ohio Historical Society. Duties included processing, cataloging using MARC format and maintenance of gubernatorial records collections while making available that public information through the online catalog to a wide range of researchers, government officials and the media.
- Basic preservation techniques, periodic training in archival science and best practices, public records laws, scholarly presentations on processing & preservation techniques as well as accessioning new records series and the reappraisal of older series.
- Extended duties also included work with the Local Government Records Program assisting various local governments with inquiries pertaining to the proper and legal retention and disposition of their records. Also assisted with educational outreach to present history to various programs, including secondary schools and various institutions of higher education.
AVID Program Administrator and Social Studies (US History) Teacher
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
09.2005 - 06.2007
- Anne Arundel County Public Schools. AVID Program Administrator and Social Studies (US History) Teacher.
- Administered the components of the AVID Program within the larger Anne Arundel County school system. Represented and administered the AVID Program core curriculum and taught Eighth Grade US History at Central Middle School, as well as advised students on approaches to success at high school and college levels.
- Developed curriculum and lesson plans for both the National AVID Program and Eighth Grade US History classes based on the county and state curriculum standards.
- Attended various professional development classes/courses for AVID and general education, as well as worked with educators county-wide to revise and further develop the Social Studies curriculum in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.
- Developed and implemented program protocols to enhance operational efficiency within educational settings.
- Coordinated cross-departmental communication to streamline processes and improve service delivery.
- Led training sessions for staff on program management best practices and compliance regulations.
- Analyzed program data to identify trends, informing strategic planning initiatives for continuous improvement.
Education
Ph.D. - Latin American/Caribbean History
Howard University
Washington D.C.05.2008
M.A. - African Diaspora History
Howard University
Washington D.C.05.1999
Skills
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Verbal and written communication
- Decision-making
- Creativity and innovation
- Strategies and goals
- Budget management
- Change management
- Partnerships and alliances
- Crisis management
- Talent acquisition
Accomplishments
- Recipient of two Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grants for African American History and Culture. In 2016 received a three year grant for archival accessibility and digitization and in 2017 received a three year grant for collections and exhibits development.
- Recipient of the Western Conservation Foundation Grant for support of the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center’s marketing activities related to the Charles Young Buffalo Soldier National Monument in Wilberforce, 2013.
- Recipient of the Tribeca Film Institute and American Library Association’s America’s Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway, 2013.
- Recipient of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Division of Preservation and Access, Preservation Assistance Grants for Smaller Institutions, 2010.
Affiliations
- American Alliance of Museums (AAM)
- Association of African American Museums (AAAM)
- Latin American Studies Association (LASA)
- Association of Midwest Museum (AMM)
- American Historical Association (AHA)
- Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)
- Society of Ohio Archivists (SOA)
- Society of American Archivists (SAA)
Certification
- Certified Archivist, Society of American Archivists - 2009
- Change Management, Ohio History Connection - 2025
Languages
Spanish
Full Professional
Portuguese
Full Professional
Kiswahili
Professional Working
Tigrinya
Elementary
Honors
Special Achievement Certificate from Gov. DeWine and Lt. Gov. Husted for work on Gen. Charles Young Historic Marker Trail, 2024, Certificate of Excellence, Harrison Township Board of Trustees, 2023, Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument Alliance in Action Service Award, 2017
Educational Specializations
- Transatlantic Trade in Enslaved Africans
- Atlantic History and American Hemispheric Slavery
- African Diaspora History with emphasis on Afro-Brazilian History and Culture
- African History (West & Central)
- Colonial United States History
- Public History
- United States Foreign Policy/Relations
Harrison Township Board of Trustees Award of Accomplishment
Acknowledged for work with Harrison Township of Montgomery County Ohio for leading a center of knowledge, information, inspiration, education and expressly a place to reflect on the remarkable history of African Americans the institution exemplifies.
Timeline
Director
National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
11.2011 - 10.2025
Archivist I
National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center
02.2010 - 11.2011
Adjunct Professor
Central State University
08.2009 - 05.2023
Gubernatorial Records Archivist
Ohio Historical Society
11.2007 - 02.2010
AVID Program Administrator and Social Studies (US History) Teacher
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
09.2005 - 06.2007
Ph.D. - Latin American/Caribbean History
Howard University
M.A. - African Diaspora History
Howard University