NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE SOCIETIES
Dedicated to education and cultural exchange.
The National Conference of State Societies (NCSS) is the non-profit, voluntary umbrella association for state and territorial societies in the national capital area. At one time or another, all 50 states have had active societies as well as the District of Columbia and our 5 territories: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Common Wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
NCSS plays a unique role in the National Cherry Blossom Festival® by sponsoring a series of events that highlight educational and cultural exchange programs for The Cherry Blossom Princess Program - "Aspiring Leadership and Empowering Young Women" who are college students or young professionals selected by state/territorial societies and embassies to represent them. Today the festival is a cooperative effort of many organizations including the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Inc., the Mayor’s office, the National Park Service, the Japan America Society of Washington DC, and NCSS, just to mention a few.
Leadership
President Gigi Galbraith - DC
President.NCSS@gmail.com
VP Events Maria Giannopoulos - WI
VP@statesocieities.org
VP Societies Athena Schritz - MT
VP_Societies@statesocieties.org
VP Communication Bailey Hansen - AL
VP_Communications@statesocieties.org
Resource Development Julia Mattingly - KY
Resource_dev@statesocieties.org
Secretary Adam Rose - NV
Secretary@statesocieties.org
Treasurer Isapela Coggins - AS
Treasurer@statesocieties.org
Past President Teresa Downs (DE)
tadowns4@aol.com
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NCSS Past Presidents
Conference Chairman
1947-1948 Mr. Carol H. Walker (SD)
1948-1949 Mr. Roy C. Haines (ME)
1949-1950 Mr. Lawrence Scheewe (MT)
1950-1951 Mr. Harold Barnett (NY)
1951-1952 Mr. John K. Slear (NC)
Conference Presidents
1952-1953 Mr. Carl H. Walker (SD)
1953-1954 Col. Hever Rice (WV)
1954-1955 Mr. John S. Bartlett (OH)
1955-1956 Mr. Samuel McIlwain (MS)
1956-1957 Mr. Jack Spain (NC)
1957-1958 Mrs. Charlotte Brown (IL)
1958-1959 Mr. Bernard V. Somers (MN)
1959-1960 Mr. Edward H. Ring (PA)
1960-1961 Hon. James Kee, M.C. (WV)
1961-1962 Mr. H.C. John Russell (VA) & Mr. Arch K. Steiner (TN)
1962-1963 Mr. Otis B. Osborne (MA)
1963-1964 Mr. Jack O. Crawford (MS)
1964-1965 Mr. Joseph C. Brown (IL)
1965-1966 Mr. L. Ray Smart (KY)
1966-1967 Col. Robert J. Schissell (NE)
1967-1968 Mr. Clayton D. Gasque (SC)
1968-1969 Mr. Lewis E. Berry (MI)
1969-1970 Mr. Clifford R. Paulson (HI)
1970-1971 Mr. William Y. Webb (NC)
1971-1972 Mr. Guy Arnett (TN)
1972-1973 Mr. Eugene N. Ball
1973-1974 Miss Helen Lewis (IL)
1974-1975 Col. Frank Torres, Jr. (GM)
1975-1976 Mrs. Elizabeth Montag (CT)
1976-1977 Mr. Rex Marshall (WV)
1977-1978 Mr. Paul Fulk (KY)
1978-1979 Mrs. Marie D. Owen (NY)
1979-1980 Mr. Edward Hews (ME)
1980-1981 Mrs. Elizabeth Gordan (CT)
1981-1982 Mr. William Hambley (MN)
1982-1983 Mr. Roy P. Wolfe (KY)
1983-1984 Mrs. Jan Love (IA) and & Dr. Takashi Noda (HI)
1984-1985 Ms. Maxine Huff (VA)
1985-1986 Mr. Cecil Corry (GA)
1986-1987 Dr. William Henry ("Bill") Barbee, Jr. (GM)
1987-1988 Ms. Betty F. Splaine (MA)
1988-1989 Mr. Raymond L. Hayes (NC)
1989-1990 Mrs. Burlee Lang (MS)
1990-19910 Mr. John R. Cicala (MD)
1991-1992 Mr. Gary L. Crayton (WV)
1992-1993 Hon. Mark Q. Rhoads (IL)
1993-1994 Mr. Paul T. Ahearn (NV)
1994-1995 Capt. Kent S. Webber (MA)
1995-1996 Mrs. Jerri Bonin (ID)
1996-2000 Mr. Glenn Mahone (AR)
2000-2002 Hon. Mark Q. Rhoads (IL)
2002-2005 Paul E. Sweet (CA)
2005-2007 Tim Schlack (ID)
2007-2009 Lourdes ("Lou") Barrett (GM)
2009-2010 Mrs. Lorna Daniels (HI)
2010-2011 Mr. John Magnuson (MN)
2011-2018 Mr. William M. Christian (TX)
2018-2022 Mr. Pete Berlowitz (NE)
2022-2023 Ms. Isapela Coggins (AS)
2023-2025 Ms. Teresa Downs (DE)