Martha is EVP & Managing Director, Head of Financial Risk at Regions Bank I Regions Securities LLC., an American bank holding company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, providing retail and commercial banking, trust, stock brokerage, and mortgage services.

Jason Frey is a Director of Asset Management and Underwriting at Medical Properties Trust (“MPT”), the leading source of capital for hospitals, working with operators in the U.S. and Europe.

Erick Jones is Vice President Finance Southwest and Southern & Gulf Coast Divisions at Vulcan Materials Company, the nation’s largest producer of crushed stone, sand and gravel, and a major producer of asphalt and concrete.

Bill Todd is President and Partner of o2ideas, he leads client-centric public relations and marketing efforts for national and regional brands.

Justin Drummond is President of Stone Building Company, a regional commercial and industrial general contractor based in Birmingham, AL.

Earl Hilliard is Senior Public Affairs Officer for the City of Birmingham.

Catherine Pittman-Smith is Administrative Director for Community Grief Support, a nonprofit organization offering counseling, support groups, education and events for people who are grieving.

Staci Brown Brooks Vice President Charitable Giving Alabama Power Company and President of the Alabama Power Foundation, leading the company’s philanthropic, volunteerism and community support initiatives.

Nancy Fouad-Carey is Central Group Legal Director at Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC., one of the nation’s largest privately held construction firms, providing general contracting, design-build, and construction management services for a wide variety of markets.

Karla Khodanian is Director of Strategic Communications at Big Communications, a full-service, integrated agency that lives to solve problems. We specialize in creative, digital, marketing, PR and media services.

Garland Smith is a philanthropic leader and historic preservationist with ties to Birmingham and the Black Belt. She has served numerous Alabama organizations as an officer or board member, including the Alabama Archives and History Foundation, Friends of the Alabama Archives, the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation, the Cahaba Foundation, Black Belt Treasures in Camden, and the Wilcox County Historical Society.

L’Tryce M. Slade, MRP, JD, is Managing Director of Slade Land Use, Environmental, Transportation, Planning, LLC, often referred to as Slade, is a multi-disciplined construction and program management firm.

Paul DeMarco is an Attorney at Parsons, Lee & Juliano, P.C., specializing in civil litigation with clients nationwide to provide full and complete representation in state and federal courts throughout Alabama and across the Southeast.

Charles Goodrich manages Timberline Management’s venture portfolio, evaluating investment opportunities, establishing investment policies, and working with management of portfolio investments.

Christy Thomas is Chief Financial Officer at McKinney Communications Corporation, a southeastern-based, employee-owned company with more than 400 employees and four portfolio companies under management comprising Satellites Unlimited, Digital Electronic Supply (DES), Pixsys, and Techscape Solutions.

D. Taylor Alexander is Vice President of Investments at Protective, a financial service holding company in Birmingham, Alabama.

Jessica L. Black is Vice President of Marketing & Communications at Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Ikacus (Ike) Mathews is Director of Field Operations at Spire Energy, a gas company serving 1.7 million customers in Missouri, Alabama, and Mississippi, providing natural gas to powers their homes and businesses.

Cynthia Cardona, President & CEO of Vulcan Park & Museum, is a native of Florida and graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. and an M.A. in History. She has worked for over two decades in museums and arts organizations transitioning from roles focusing on collections management, operations, and administration. Beginning her career as Photo Archivist and later Curator of Collections at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Cardona later served as Director of Operations for Art & History Museums-Maitland. Prior to joining the Vulcan Park & Museum in 2022, she served as Executive Director of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.

Cynthia previously served as Director of Operations for Vulcan Park & Museum in 2022 before being appointed as President & CEO in 2023.

Cynthia Cardona, President & CEO of Vulcan Park & Museum, is a native of Florida and graduated from the University of Central Florida with a B.A. and an M.A. in History. She has worked for over two decades in museums and arts organizations transitioning from roles focusing on collections management, operations, and administration. Beginning her career as Photo Archivist and later Curator of Collections at the Orange County Regional History Center in Orlando, Cardona later served as Director of Operations for Art & History Museums-Maitland. Prior to joining the Vulcan Park & Museum in 2022, she served as Executive Director of the Winter Garden Heritage Foundation.

Cynthia previously served as Director of Operations for Vulcan Park & Museum in 2022 before being appointed as President & CEO in 2023.

After gaining invaluable experience at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, Pamela Hamrick, a proud native of Birmingham, felt a strong call to return to her hometown and contribute her expertise to the cultural landscape of Birmingham. With a passion for showcasing the rich history and traditions of her community, she eagerly took on the responsibility of directing the museum operations at Vulcan Park and Museum.

As a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), she serves as a chapter officer and committee chair, actively participating in preserving the historical legacy of the United States. Additionally, Pamela is a member of the esteemed First Families of South Carolina 1670-1700, a testament to her deep appreciation for her ancestral roots and historical lineage.

With her passion for history, unwavering dedication, and commitment to excellence, Pamela hopes to make a significant impact on preserving Birmingham’s heritage and promoting cultural understanding within her community.

Samil Baker is the Director of Marketing & Public Relations at Vulcan Park and Museum, where she leads efforts to enhance the institution’s visibility and community engagement. With over a decade of experience spanning higher education, nonprofits, museums, zoos, and publishing, Samil has a proven track record in crafting and executing strategic communication initiatives that drive brand awareness and audience growth.

Before joining Vulcan Park and Museum, Samil held key positions at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham Zoo, Orange County Regional History Center & The Historical Society of Central Florida, Savannah Magazine, and Miami Dade College.

Samil holds multiple degrees, including a Master of Arts from the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) and a Master of Arts from The University of Alabama, where she also earned a Bachelor of Arts. Known for her ability to build strong relationships, foster collaboration, and create compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences, Samil’s work is characterized by a commitment to ethical practices and a positive, forward-thinking approach.

Born and raised in Birmingham, Jennifer received her BFA in Drawing and Painting from the University of Arizona. In addition to her accomplished career in fundraising and public engagement, she has served as a national-level motivational speaker and as an advisor for the local 1996 Olympic Soccer games. Jennifer’s successful competitive athletic career culminated in what is undoubtedly the highest honor for an athlete, an Olympic Gold Medal in the 1976 Montreal Games.

A Birmingham area native, Casey Gamble attended the University of Montevallo where she earned a Bachelor of Science in History before completing a Master of Arts in Secondary Education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She worked for Enterprise Holdings and Birmingham City Schools before beginning her career at VPM.

Casey has been connected with Vulcan Park and Museum since 2014 when she worked as an intern in the education department. She eventually went on to run the summer camp program before transitioning to her current role.

As Museum Programs Manager, she creates new educational programs in addition to maintaining and implementing existing programming, and works to improve accessibility for all visitors. In addition, she manages the collections cataloging project, school tours, and supervises volunteers, interns, and contract staff.

In her spare time, Casey enjoys spending time with her family, as well as gardening, reading, photography, and her pets.

Coleman is originally from Dothan Al and moved to the Birmingham area in winter of 2020. He started out with Vulcan Park & Museum as a volunteer before moving to Collections Assistant, and now he serves as Collections Manager. Coleman graduated from The University of Alabama with his Bachelor of Arts in both History and American Studies. While attending U.A, he did an internship with Druid City Pride and assisted in operating their Pride Festival.

Emily Meyer manages and supervises The Anvil gift shop at Vulcan Park and Museum. She and her husband, Jeff, joined the team in the summer of 2017 and are very excited to be a part of Birmingham’s premier historic attraction and cultural institution.

Growing up in Dothan, AL, Emily has spent most of her adult life “out West,” living and working in Yellowstone National Park, as well as Moscow, ID and Missoula, MT. She also spent three years living in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan and four months in Iquique, Tarapaca, Chile teaching English to public school children. Emily acquired her extensive knowledge of guest service and retail management while working 12 years for the main concessionaire at Yellowstone National Park.

Emily has a BFA in Painting, as well as a BA in Secondary Art Education, from the University of Idaho in Moscow. She is a working artist and hopes to insert herself into Birmingham’s dynamic art scene. She loves nature and gets outside as much as possible to hike, camp, and kayak.

A recent transplant to Birmingham, Emily misses the Western mountains and snow (her skis wait patiently in her Birmingham closet). But she is excited to live in Birmingham and continue to explore the city’s lovely parks, great food, and dynamic cultural opportunities. The people are nice too! She looks forward to meeting them at Vulcan Park and Museum!

April Davis, a lifelong resident of Hueytown, Alabama, has recently stepped into the role of Event Venue Manager at Vulcan Park and Museum. With a robust background in hospitality and event coordination, her most recent position before joining the Vulcan team in May 2023,  was Catering Manager for the historic Bright Star Restaurant.

Her primary responsibilities encompass orchestrating event tours, overseeing sales, and ensuring the seamless execution of private events. April’s passion lies in working closely with guests, ensuring their occasions transcend ordinary into truly memorable experiences.

Outside of her professional endeavors, April finds joy in the cherished moments revolving around her husband and four children, where shared adventures and quality time reign supreme. When not immersed in event planning, April seeks solace in the serenity of nature through hiking and loses herself in the captivating realms of literature by curling up with a good book.

Tracy Fillmore joined us in the part time position of Office Administrator.  Tracy received her BS in Electrical Engineering from UAB and worked in that field earlier in her career.  When she returned to the workplace as her children grew up, she worked in office management and administration, at Freedom Court Reporting, the Moore Law Group and, most recently, at Wealth Without Wall Street.  Her extensive experience will undoubtedly be a tremendous asset to our office operations.

A native of New Orleans, Negrotto’s choice of a career in the hospitality and tourism industry was inspired by that city’s abundance of great restaurants and wealth of interesting places. Following graduate studies in Organizational Psychology at Louisiana State University, she held management positions at prominent institutions in the southeast, including Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Pontchartrain Hotel and NorthRiver Yacht Club.

She later served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Business Center of Alabama, Inc., a subsidiary of the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama, and came to Birmingham to operate The Harbert Center, the landmark downtown event facility.

Negrotto has served as President and CEO of Vulcan Park and Museum since March 2004. Through her position, she enjoys having the opportunity to instill in our youth an understanding and sense of pride in their hometown, create excitement about the many positive aspects of our region in both visitors and residents and create mutually beneficial partnerships with other cultural institutions and service agencies. She was named the BBJ’s 2010 Non-Profit CEO of the Year, 2011 Best in Minority Business Award for Non-Profit Leadership and recelently the 2023 Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame Inductee.

Among her civic and professional activities, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Homewood Chamber of Commerce and The Women’s Network, is an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, the Women’s Forum and CAHABA. Other activities have included leadership roles with Executive Women International, International Facility Management Association and Kentuck Festival of the Arts. She is married to Birmingham native E. Foster Smith and loves to travel and cook.

Darlene retired as President & CEO of Vulcan Park & Museum in 2023 after 19 years.