Dr. Nancy Stearns Theiss – Executive Director
Nancy Stearns Theiss is a native of Oldham County where she grew up on the family farm and married her childhood sweetheart. She has numerous degrees in education, biology and environmental studies. She has taught in the public school system, worked for the Kentucky Department of Education and the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife. She has been director of several non-profits and currently works as the Executive Director of the Oldham County Historical Society. She has written history columns for the Louisville Courier-Journal, The Oldham Era, articles and books and received numerous recognitions for her various endeavors. An avid naturalist and historian, Nancy believes that knowing your community and the people, places and living things (past and present) around you, gives you an understanding of your importance and place in the world.
Coleson Taylor – Head of Educational Outreach
Cole Taylor was born and raised in Batavia, Ohio, a little place just outside of Cincinnati. He graduated in May of 2024 from Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, with bachelor’s degrees in history and political science. What began as a summer internship working for the Oldham County History Center has since evolved into a lasting commitment to public history in Oldham County. After serving as the Head of Educational Outreach for a year, Cole was promoted to Assistant Director.
As a child, Cole was obsessed with the Titanic, and from this childhood obsession grew a love for history and an appreciation for just how much the past can shape the present. His first big project at the History Center involved transcribing and scanning letters and V-mail from Earl D. Bennett, an engineer-gunner aboard a bomber during WWII, that he sent home to his family.
Ann Cannon – Office Program Director
Ann Cannon grew up in Irvington, a small Kentucky town in Breckinridge County. She went to Meade County High School. Then went to Bellarmine University and received a bachelor’s degree in computer science in 1984, then 20 years later received a master’s degree in teaching also from Bellarmine. In between those 20 years, she worked as a computer programmer at Bellarmine University. She then pursued a career as an elementary school teacher working in Jefferson, Carroll, and Oldham County Public Schools teaching 1st through 5th grades. She retired from teaching and is now working part-time at the Oldham County History Center as the Office Program Director. She and her husband have resided in Oldham County for 26 years. She has a daughter, son-in-law, and four grandchildren, who are the apple of her eye. Ann’s father shared his love of history with her as a child by visiting many historical sites during vacations and explaining the significance of each one. When historical events were happening on television, he would tell Ann and her brother, “Kids watch this closely, this is History in the Making!” This is how her love of learning of history began.