Our Staff

Stuart Rockoff was born in Ft. Worth and raised in Houston, Texas and graduated from Wesleyan University with a BA in history.  He received his Ph.D. in US history from the University of Texas at Austin with a special emphasis on race, immigration and American Jewish history.  He has taught courses in American and ethnic history at such schools as the University of Texas and Millsaps College and has published numerous articles and essays on southern Jewish history. For 11 years, he served as the historian at the Institute of Southern Life. In November 2013, he became just the third executive director of the Mississippi Humanities Council, following in the large footsteps of Dr. Cora Norman and Dr. Barbara Carpenter. Under his leadership, the MHC develops and supports a wide range of public humanities programs that explore Mississippi’s rich history and culture. He was a member of the scholarly review board for both the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum. He currently serves on the board of the Mississippi Book Festival and the state’s National Register of Historic Places Review Board. He lives in Jackson with his wife Susan.

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.

Kamecia, also affectionately know as Kam, joined MHC in December 2022 as the council’s first communications manager. Kamecia 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, Kamecia 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. Kamecia is thrilled to serve the citizens of Mississippi and tell the amazing story of our state’s humanities council and the people it serves.