In developing its Board of Trustees, the Disciples of Christ Historical Society has highlighted expertise in archival/preservation work as a growth area. To that end, we are delighted to welcome Joel Wurl as a new Trustee in 2025. Wurl brings a wealth of experience in the archival field, having retired as deputy director of the Division of Preservation & Access at the National Endowment for the Humanities in 2020.

Before his time at NEH, Wurl served as Associate Director and Head of Research Collections at the University of Minnesota’s Immigration History Research Center. He has been a passionate advocate for immigrant communities, consulting on various projects for museums, historical societies, and civic organizations. Wurl has also served on the board of directors for the International Institute of Minnesota.

A Distinguished Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, Wurl has held leadership roles within the organization and is known for his editorial work on North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries, and Oral Histories, an online resource he guided as general editor.

President Joel Brown remarked, “I am so thrilled that Joel Wurl is joining the Historical Society as a trustee. Joel obviously brings a wealth of experience in archival work and grant writing, but what I’ve learned in working with him over the last few months is that he loves our church and is deeply interested in thinking about how we preserve and tell its story. He has already contributed significantly to our work in creating a new Collection Development Policy, and our whole team looks forward to collaborating with him on other projects in the coming years.”

As we embark on another exciting year, we are grateful for the dedication and expertise of our Trustees, both past and present, who continue to shape the future of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society.