Quite the History
Will Chriscoe ’08 helps ensure the White House can put the past on display.
The first time he visited the White House in Washington, D.C., Will Chriscoe ’08 wasn’t just a tourist. He was there to understand his work as the newly hired director of development for the White House Historical Association.
“Everything there has such historic significance,” he says. “The first tour I took, the staff historian shared that it only covers about one-third of the building. It’s interesting to get a feel for the amount of land it takes up.”
Everything there has such historic significance.
The White House Historical Association is a nonprofit founded by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961, with a mission of collecting and showcasing art and artifacts of American history. Chriscoe’s job is fundraising. “The short version of what I do is meet strangers, get to know them, build relationships and ask for money,” he says with a laugh.
Chriscoe previously worked at NC State and East Carolina University, raising funds for both schools’ athletic departments, as well as the Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plain — “a great bridge from athletic fundraising to pure philanthropy, investing in the lives of kids,” he says.
For the White House Historical Association, he manages the Southeast region, chasing different levels of donations up to the occasional six- or even seven-figure gift. Despite the setting, the White House Historical Association stays firmly out of politics. “We are nonpartisan and apolitical, working with administrations from both parties,” Chriscoe says.
A particularly popular White House Historical Association program is the official White House Christmas tree ornament. The organization releases a new ornament with a different theme or subject each year. Jimmy Carter was the 2024 subject, with Ronald Reagan set for 2025, and a commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary is planned for 2026. The association also commissions the official portraits of the president and first lady and assists with renovations.
One constant through Chriscoe’s various fundraising endeavors, whether he’s working for athletics or the White House, is the value of relationships over time. “The power of relationships is so undervalued,” he says. “There are mentors I met when I was an unpaid intern at the NC State ticket office that I still talk to every week.”
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