Steve Edenbo

About Steve Edenbo

I have studied and portrayed Thomas Jefferson since offering entertaining, educational, and inspirational 1st-person performances and key-notes for corporate conventions, universities, nonprofits, historical & patriotic groups, schools and many others. I regularly speak at Independence Hall in Philadelphia and The National Archives in Washington D.C. In 2008 I benefitted greatly from my study as a research fellow at Monticello\'s International Center For Jefferson Studies, in Charlottesville, VA. My regular clients include Independence National Historical Park, The Thomas Jefferson Foundation, The Smithsonian, The University of Virginia, The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge, the VFW, Freemasons, the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution, UVA\'s Darden School of Business, and UVA\'s McIntire School of Commerce.

Experience

1. Independent Interpreter at Independence National Historical Park and other National Park Sites

   National Park Service

   Jun 2001 — Present

   I have interpreted Thomas Jefferson in numerous INHP venues, including series of presentions in both Independence Hall and The Declaration House. Other INHP & Philadelphia Historic District venues at which I have portrayed Jefferson include Carpenters Hall, The City Tavern, and The Powell House. I have spoken to numerous Teaching American History Grant workshops sponsored by INHP, to tourist & corporate groups visiting the National Park, Independence Day celebrations, and other events in the National Park, such as a debate between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson in Congress Hall, on 91•••13. In 2010, in addition to continuing an annual series of Independence Hall presentations, I worked with INHP to initiate what is now successful annual programming aimed at student groups visiting the park. I have since collaborated with INHP to add an additional, annual education program titled \"Project Write\", which involves high school students from the Philadelphia in a 2-week writers workshop. I participate in this workshop, in-character as Thomas Jefferson, using Jefferson\'s documents to teach his writing techniques and the skills of composing effective arguments. INHP calls upon me, as occasions arise, to prepare and deliver 1st-Person addresses for specific events. At the re-opening of the Kosciuszko Memorial in March of 2009, I spoke of Jefferson’s relationship with the memorial’s namesake, in conjunction with Gary B. Nash’s talk considering his 2008 book,\"Friends of Liberty: Thomas Jefferson, Tadeusz Kosciuszko, and Agrippa Hull\". In 2010 I prepared and delivered a speech addressing the link between Jefferson’s love of arboriculture, and his philosophy that the American government is both subject to the judgement and dependent on the stewardship of each succeeding generation.

Education

• Dickinson College

  Bachelor's degree, English Language and Literature, General

  1992 — 1996

Skills

• Copy Editing
• Nonprofits
• Grant Writing
• Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Grants
• Books
• Research
• American History
• Teaching
• Editing
• Theatre
• Team Building
• Speech Writing
• Fundraising
• Non-Profits
• Blogging
• Creative Writing
• Community Outreach
• Museums
• Education
• Newsletters
• Press Releases
• History
• Public Relations
• Writing
• Proofreading
• Publishing
• Program Management
• Nonprofit Organizations
• Social Media
• Historical Interpretation
• Entertainment