About the Presenters
Amanda Isaac
As Curator at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Amanda Isaac cares for a collection that ranges from George and Martha Washington’s personal effects and household furnishings to the fine art, historical relics, and commemorative objects that embody their multifaceted legacy. Her work at Mount Vernon has included the development of the remarkable clothing and textile collection, the refurnishing of several of the major rooms in the mansion and the ground-breaking exhibit in 2013, Take Note! George Washington the Reader, which highlighted Washington’s diverse intellectual interests. She holds an M.A. from the University of Delaware’s Winterthur Program in Early American Culture and a B.A. from the College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.
Kathrin Breitt Brown
Kathrin Breitt Brown is Mount Vernon’s Historical Costumer, charged with building or procuring garments for today’s living and breathing persons who represent contemporaries in George and Martha Washington’s world. As a life-long seamstress and garment maker, Kathrin has delved deep into 18th century mantuamaking and tailoring to produce garments that are sometimes completely handstitched, sometimes a blend of 18th century and modern making techniques, or in a crunch, dependent on machines. Her particular interest is in the makers of the clothing worn by those in the Washingtons' world. Kathrin holds an M.F.A in Creative Writing and an M.A. in Education, both from American University.