Mississippi Humanities Council

  • Interpreting Our History & Culture
  • Fostering Civil Conversations
  • Enriching Communities

Our Staff

Dr. Stuart Rockoff, Executive Director

(601) 432-6752

A native of Texas, Stuart Rockoff received a B.A. in History from Wesleyan University in 1991. He then earned a M.A. and Ph.D. in American History from the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in immigration, race, and American Jewish history. He then spent over 11 years as the Director of the History Department at the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life in Jackson, Mississippi, where he was responsible for creating the Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities. He has written and lectured widely on the history of Jews in the American South. In 2013, he became just the third executive director in the history of the Mississippi Humanities Council, following in the large footsteps of Dr. Cora Norman and Dr. Barbara Carpenter.

Carol Andersen, Assistant Director

(601) 432-6752

Carol joined the Mississippi Humanities Council in 2005. She previously worked as the program director for the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits after an early career in journalism. She has a B.S. in journalism and mass communication from Iowa State University and a master of liberal arts from Tulane University. She moved to Mississippi from Iowa in 2001, and lives in Jackson with her husband and two daughters. Carol administers the Council’s grants program, and prison education programs.

Molly McMillan, Program Officer

(601) 432-6752

Molly has been with the MHC since 2017. Originally from Michigan, Molly moved to Mississippi in 2007 and took a special interest in Mississippi history and culture. She graduated from Mississippi College in 2015 with a B.A . in history and communication. As program officer, Molly oversees and develops council-conducted programs, such as the Family Reading Project, Luciérnagas, Museum on Main Street, the Great Stories Club, Speakers Bureau, and the monthly e-newsletter.

John Spann, Program & Outreach Officer

(601) 432-6752

Originally from Columbus, Mississippi, John has lived in the Jackson Metro area since 1997. Shortly after graduating from Mississippi State University with a B.A. in history, he joined the museum division staff of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. During his five years with MDAH, he became an inaugural member of the curatorial team for the Two Mississippi Museums. As program and outreach officer, John oversees and develops council-conducted programs, such as Ideas on Tap and The More Perfect Union initiative. In addition, he cultivates partnerships with educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community groups to guide grant applications and promote MHC programs.

Kam Ridley, Communications Manager

601-432-6752

Kam joined MHC in December 2022 as the council’s first communications manager. Kam is a Jackson native, educated in the Jackson Public School district during her primary years and receiving her B.A. from The University of Southern Mississippi. Immediately upon graduating, Kam began her journalism career at 16 WAPT News starting as an unpaid intern and working her way through the ranks to win an Emmy Award for her work during Hurricane Katrina as a producer and reporter. She is also an international award- winning artist and published photographer. Kam is thrilled to serve the citizens of Mississippi and tell the amazing story of our state’s humanities council and the people it serves.

Carla Falkner, Project Coordinator

(601) 432-6752

Carla joined the MHC in 2021 as Project Coordinator for the Prison Education program. After moving to Mississippi from Texas, she received her M.A. in history from the University of Mississippi. A former MHC board member, she recently retired from a 30-year career as a history instructor and academic division head at Northeast Mississippi Community College. Her work supports humanities education in Mississippi prisons made possible by a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Katie Molpus, Office Administrator

(601) 432-6752

Hattiesburg native Katie Molpus joined the Humanities Council team in September 2023. She received a B.A. in Psychology from Mississippi State University and an M.A in English from the College of Charleston. Since returning to Mississippi in 2019, Katie has worked with the Mississippi Book Festival, the Mississippi Historical Society, and Lemuria Bookstore. Katie provides administrative support, assists with event planning, and coordinates the Humanities Teacher Awards.