Mount Vernon, VA, April 14, 2026 — The Mount Vernon Ladies' Association (MVLA) has appointed Deborah E. Jessiman, M.D., as Vice Regent for the state of Maryland. In this role, Dr. Jessiman will support the Association’s mission to preserve and protect George Washington’s Mount Vernon and to advance its educational and historic preservation initiatives as the nation approaches the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Dr. Jessiman brings a distinguished record of leadership, service, and commitment to historic preservation and education. A retired pediatrician, she has long been active in civic and cultural institutions across the Washington, D.C. region.
“Deborah Jessiman’s deep commitment to service, education, and preservation makes her an outstanding addition to the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association,” said Anne “Dede” Neal Petri, Regent of the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association. “Her leadership experience and dedication to historic institutions will help ensure that Mount Vernon continues to inspire and educate future generations as we approach America’s Semiquincentennial.”
“During this historic 250th anniversary year of our great nation, I am deeply honored to join the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, representing my home state of Maryland,” said Dr. Jessiman. “I am squarely focused on the MVLA’s unique ability to educate and inspire America and the world about George Washington’s character and leadership and to ensure that this extraordinary place continues to connect people to the founding ideals of our nation.”
Dr. Jessiman has served in numerous leadership roles, including multiple terms on the board of the National Cathedral School, where she chaired both the Governance and Advancement Committees. She has also served on the boards of St. Albans School and Beauvoir School and was president of the National Cathedral School Alumnae Association.
Her extensive civic leadership includes service at the Metropolitan Club of Washington, D.C., where she served two terms on the Board and was Club President from 2024 to 2025. During her tenure, she also served as Executive Committee Chair and founded the Club’s USA250 Working Group, reflecting her commitment to preserving and commemorating the nation’s history. She is also a current member of the Vestry at Christ Church, Georgetown in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Jessiman graduated from Princeton University and from the Tufts University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center and worked in a group private practice in suburban Maryland. She is married to Alistair Jessiman, and they have six adult children and three granddaughters.
Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States. The estate is open to visitors and includes the Mansion, a museum and education center, gardens, tombs, a working farm, a functioning distillery, and a gristmill. It also includes the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.
