Our Staff

Susan Pocklington, Executive Director

Susan joined the staff at Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear in 2000, holding two prior positions before becoming Executive Director in the fall of 2007. She graduated with honors in Parks and Recreation Administration from Michigan State University and did her internship in the rocky mountains of Colorado. Years later, living 20 minutes from one of the finest historic preservation programs at Eastern Michigan University, Susan was ready to enroll in the graduate program when she was hired at PHSB. Susan has had a dedicated career helping several nonprofit organizations including positions with Greenhills School Development Department, Oakland University Meadow Brook Estate, six years as Executive Director and Co-founder of the Leelanau Center for Education Adult Enrichment Programs, and assisted others with start-up ventures. Prior to joining PHSB, she was an event planner and program developer.  Originally from Plymouth, Michigan, she grew up near her grandfather’s farm, where she helped with harvesting hay and produce. She attributes her love of history to her grandfather who was instrumental in building the Plymouth Historical Museum. She was introduced to the beauty of Port Oneida in high school and has always had an affinity for historic buildings. Susan is an accomplished musician as a flutist and vocalist and has served as flutist in the Traverse Symphony and Plymouth Symphony. She enjoys hiking, biking, softball, canoeing, white water rafting, and tennis.

Stephanie Kimball, Administrative Coordinator

Stephanie joined Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear in May of 2023. Prior to moving to Traverse City in 2021, she and her husband, Austin, owned an 1844 Italianate home in the Marshall Historic Landmark District just down the road from the infamous Shuler’s restaurant.  Stephanie graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in Public Relations and has worked in the nonprofit world for over 8 years. Some of her previous positions include working at the famous Cornwell’s Turkeyville as website designer and Customer Service Manager, and more recently from the Father Fred Foundation where she was Office and Communications Manager. Stephanie enjoys biking and photography in her free time. She has two daughters who live in Minneapolis.

Casey Reynolds, Preservation Project Manager

Casey is a contractor that manages the projects determined and approved by the PHSB Board, Project Committee, and the National Park Service. This involves planning, acquisition of materials and equipment, coordinating project volunteers and contractors, leading many of the projects, and overseeing projects. Casey led projects on a volunteer basis for us from 2016-2019, accruing 500 hours each summer. He is an experienced timber framer, cabinet maker and carpenter and served on the maintenance department at Principia College in Illinois. Casey has been dedicated to making sure our projects are done at the highest standards and the required Secretary of Interior Standards for Historic Preservation. His business includes taking on contracted projects for local residents as well. He is also a professional tennis instructor at the YMCA in Traverse City, coached at the collegiate level, and at Glen Lake High School.

 Tom Van Zoeren, Port Oneida Historian

Tom has dedicated his time since retirement as a volunteer to capture and document the stories, facts, and photos of the pioneer settlers of the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. His career prior to retirement was 35 years as a Park Ranger at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Near the end of his career, about the time PHSB was founded, Tom saw the urgent need to record the 2nd generation family members. He has written several books which are now combined into one – “The Port Oneida Collection”. His collection has been invaluable to our work in exhibit and interpretive development, and historic preservation. He has made his documents and recordings available to the public through his archives on this website. He has been nominated for awards with the Michigan Historical Society for his work by Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear.