Monticello is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But there are concerns over its 'future direction'

That list now includes its former president, one of the world's leading Jefferson scholars and the man known as the "Father of Virginia Wine."

A member of the foundation's own board says he feels as though he and others are being kept out of the loop and that both the board and the public should be told what is happening behind closed doors at Monticello, which has evolved over the decades into a multimillion-dollar tourist and education operation.

“There’s something going on,” board member L.D. Britt said. “It just doesn’t feel right.”

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Mysterious departures from Monticello cast doubt on its 'future direction'

Unexpected departures

More than a dozen higher-ups have left the foundation under uncertain terms over the past 18 months.

Renowned Jefferson scholar Annette Gordon-Reed is the most recent loss. After being involved with Monticello for three decades, the Harvard historian resigned from the board, telling The Daily Progress she is concerned about the foundation’s “future direction.”

“I wouldn’t have walked away from that without good cause,” said Gordon-Reed, whose long list of credentials includes a Pulitzer Prize for one of her books, “The Hemingses of Monticello”.

Not long before Gordon-Reed's departure, Gabriele Rausse, the man known as the “Father of Virginia Wine” was dismissed as Monticello’s director of gardens and grounds. A nondisclosure agreement has prevented him from discussing his removal, which shocked both the academic and wine industries.

The list goes on: The foundation has lost its chief financial officer, its human resources director, its retail sales director, its development director, its planning director and more.

That includes former President Leslie Greene Bowman, who helmed the foundation for nearly 15 years. When Bowman departed the mountaintop last year, nothing was said to indicate her departure was unplanned. 

Britt said it took the board by surprise.

“I was on the board when the foundation was doing very well, and all of a sudden, we had some problems," Britt said. "I started seeing people retire, started seeing them go to other jobs, and then Leslie Bowman leaves. That was not planned."

Bowman has declined all requests for comment.

New president, same problems

Harvard professor Jane Kamensky was named the foundation's new president in October. Rausse was dismissed soon after, followed by Gordon-Reed’s resignation late last year.

Sources close to the matter who asked not to be named have said Gordon-Reed left in part because she was unhappy with a Kamensky personnel decision: Academic Frank Cogliano was not named director of the International Center for Jefferson Studies. One source said Cogliano was offered the role by the board's chair, Tobias Dengel, only to have it rescinded by Kamensky.

Dengel claims he never offered Cogliano the job.

But at least one former member of the center’s advisory committee, University of Virginia professor Peter Onuf, said he resigned specifically because of his “disappointment” that Cogliano was not named director.

Whatever role Kamensky may have had in those departures does not explain what occurred before her arrival.

“You’re not going to find answers with the current president because she’s brand new,” Britt said.

Monticello’s future

While some are raising alarm bells, Dengel and Kamensky said they are optimistic.

“I’m very excited about the direction of the foundation,” Dengel said.

Kamensky said she is “strategically reviewing key departments,” prioritizing “listening and learning” in order to be a good leader.

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation generated $56.9 million in revenue in 2022, and Britt believes donors should be kept in the loop of the foundation’s alleged troubles. He suggested current and former board leadership may be the root of the problems.

“If there are issues, they need to fix them. I don’t know that they are,” Britt said.