Waterford’s Cate Magennis Wyatt is the Founder and President of The Journey Through Hallowed Ground, a non-profit partnership embracing stewards of the land, gardens, buildings, battlefields, culture and history of four states along the path from Jefferson’s Monticello, through Loudoun, to the Battleground at Gettysburg.

Since 2008 it has been designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area, one of only 49 in the United States, and includes within its bounds nine Presidential homes and sites, 18 National and State Parks, 57 historic towns and villages, 16 National Historic Landmarks, hundreds of sites related to the American Civil War, and literally thousands of other historic sites.

Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Loudoun County, the Journey not only serves to help preserve, protect and defend a 180 mile long corridor of historic, cultural and natural treasures, in cooperation with its partners and the National Park Service it encourages and promotes tourism at its highest and most responsible level. The Journey’s education and youth engagement programs are nationally acclaimed.

From an early posting as an intern in both a Governor’s Office and the White House, Cate succeeded as a financial manager, one Loudoun’s most successful real estate developers, as Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade, as Chair of the Commonwealth’s Defense Conversion Commission, and in the energy business in London, Moscow and Kazakstan.

She serves or has served on many Boards, including: George Mason University, Board of Visitors; The University of Richmond Board of Trustees, The Virginia Community College Foundation, the George C. Marshall International Center, The Center for Innovative Technology, the Waterford Foundation, Oatlands Plantation, The Women’s Center, Wolf Trap National Performing Arts Center, The British American Project, the Colonial Board George Washington University, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and Waterford Elementary School PTO.

She has lectured at numerous Universities including: Harvard, University of Virginia, and has been the recipient of an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from the Shenandoah University.

View her video below.