Staff and Board
Executive Board
Julie Gilardi
President
Bio
As a child, Julie Gilardi fell head-over-heels for a rather unusual first love: the Shelby County Courthouse. While other kids were riding bikes or collecting baseball cards, Julie was marveling at marble staircases and dreaming about the stories tucked into every brick and balustrade.
That childhood wonder followed her into the classroom, where she spent years as a beloved Language Arts teacher at Sidney Schools. But Julie wasn’t content to let history stay in the history books. Instead, she wove it into her lessons, using the magic of storytelling and the power of place to spark curiosity in her students.
After retiring from teaching, Julie turned her passion into purpose by helping the Shelby County Historical Society develop several of its educational programs. Today, she serves as President of the Board and continues to volunteer her time at nearly every event imaginable, from immersive educational days like Civil War Day, Pioneer Day, and the always-lively Kids Day Camp in the summer, to more whimsical and spirited events like the Cemetery Tour and the fall favorite Ghost Tour.
Julie still gets a little spark of joy every time she walks past the courthouse. Proof that sometimes, a building can be more than bricks and stone. For Julie, it was the beginning of a lifelong passion, one that first inspired her as a child and now helps inspire the generations she continues to teach and reach through her work.
Faye Spangler
Co-Vice President
Bio
Faye Spangler has spent a lifetime inspiring young minds and championing the power of storytelling, both literary and historical. A proud graduate of Sidney High School, Ohio Northern University, and Wright State University, Faye devoted 40 years to teaching advanced English at Versailles High School, where she also served as Chair of the Language Arts Department. Along the way, she was honored as both Versailles Teacher of the Year and Darke County Teacher of the Year. Though her students might best remember her for her interactive student-centered activities, Senior Composition class, and a tendency to turn English class into a historical adventure.
While her professional life was rooted in English, history has always been her not-so-secret love. Her American Literature students often joked they were actually in a history class. They weren’t entirely wrong. That love for the past became a true calling in 2009, when Faye was invited to give a living history presentation. From the moment she stepped into character (yes, costumes were involved), she was hooked.
Since then, Faye has been deeply involved in curating exhibits, developing youth programs, and contributing to collaborative writing projects, most notably with the Wallace Learning and Innovation Center. She believes wholeheartedly that this organization is not only preserving the past but shaping and inspiring the future, and she’s proud to be part of what she calls “the most relevant and active group in this corner of the state.” inspiring the future.
LaTrisha Reed
Co-Vice President
Bio
Born and raised in Sidney, LaTrisha (Kingseed) Reed has always felt a deep connection to her family's roots in the community. That connection sparked to life at age 16, when a visit to the local historical society turned into something unforgettable. Curious to learn more about her great-great-grandfather, Christian Kingseed and the infamous ball and chain he crafted to hold Alfred Artis. LaTrisha met Tilda, who eagerly shared stories and history that made her feel even more connected to her family’s past. That day planted a seed that would grow into a lifelong passion for local history.
LaTrisha earned her degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and returned to Sidney to put down roots of her own. While engineering was fulfilling, her heart led her to a career where she could make a personal impact. Today, she proudly serves the community as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones, following in the footsteps of a family that has been professionally active in Sidney since the 1800s.
Her husband Chris, who moved here from Kentucky is a plumber, just like her grandfather, Frank, and Frank's father Louis. They are raising their three daughters, Harley, Ella, and Arian, in the same town that shaped her. Between soccer games and gymnastics meets, LaTrisha finds joy in helping others uncover their own family stories.
Dave Russell
Treasurer
Bio
Dave Russell has served as Treasurer of the Shelby County Historical Society since January 1, 2015. A lifelong resident of Shelby County, Dave graduated from Sidney High School in 1971 and earned his degree in Accountancy from Miami University in 1975. He became a licensed Certified Public Accountant in 1978 and spent over four decades in the public accounting industry, primarily operating his own private practice until his retirement in June 2022.
In addition to his work with the Historical Society, Dave is actively involved in the local arts and civic community. He serves as Treasurer of the Gateway Arts Council and is the current President of the Sidney Civic Band.
Outside of his professional and civic commitments, Dave is a licensed private pilot, having held his pilot's license since 1985. He is certified with both an instrument rating and endorsements for high-performance and retractable gear aircraft.
Roger Lentz
Secretary
Bio
Roger Lentz is a retired federal employee who dedicated 32 years of service to the USDA Farm Service Agency in Shelby County. In addition to his public service, he spent many years farming in Turtle Creek Township before retiring.
Roger and his wife, Suzanne Richards, are proud parents to two daughters, Laura and Katherine, and grandparents to two grandsons, Jacob and Wyatt.
Since joining the Shelby County Historical Society Board in 2016, Roger has brought a deep respect for the region’s agricultural roots and a strong commitment to community service. He values the unique opportunity to work alongside fellow board members to acknowledge, appreciate, preserve, and promote the rich history of Shelby County.
As a board member, Roger is passionate about supporting the Society’s mission to plan, promote, and pursue a lasting legacy of education and historical appreciation for both today’s residents and generations to come.
Trustees
Phil Abbott
Bio
Phil Abbott is a lifelong resident of Shelby County with a deep commitment to preserving local history and supporting genealogical research. A proud graduate of Sidney High School (Class of 1965), Phil went on to earn degrees from Miami University (1972), and Wright State University (1995). He dedicated 32 years to teaching English, language arts, and literature at Houston High School, retiring in 2003.
Since 1975, Phil has been an active member of the Shelby County Genealogical Society and has served as the editor of its quarterly newsletter, Shelbyana, since 2003. He also regularly fields genealogical research questions for both the Shelby County Genealogical Society (SCGS) and the Shelby County Historical Society (SCHS), helping connect people with their family roots.
Phil was raised on his family’s dairy farm near Port Jefferson and continued farming alongside his mother following the accidental death of his father. He is the sixth of seven siblings—three of whom became educators—and has remained closely connected to his roots, including lifelong membership in the Port Jefferson Methodist Church.
Now semi-retired, Phil enjoys a quiet life on the farm, where he shares his days with a small group of farm cats and one remaining cow. Though he never married or had children, he finds fulfillment in his animals, his faith, and his continued service to the community through education and historical preservation.
John Bertsch
Bio
John Bertsch is the owner and founder of Detailed Machining and a lifelong advocate for the Sidney, Ohio community. With a deep appreciation for the history of Sidney and the surrounding area, John has dedicated much of his time to serving in a variety of leadership and volunteer roles.
He is a past Chairman of the Dayton Regional Manufacturing Association (DRMA), past President and current member of the Sidney Rotary Club, and a board member of Workforce Partnership. He also serves as a Trustee of the Sidney Elks and sits on the board of the Sidney-Shelby County Historical Society, reflecting his passion for local heritage and community engagement.
John currently chairs the United Way Fundraising Campaign and has contributed to the organization’s Allocations Team for many years. Additionally, he is a member of the Advisory Board for the Upper Valley Career Center (UVCC) Machine Trades program, supporting the next generation of skilled trades professionals.
Through his work in manufacturing and his extensive civic involvement, John continues to make a lasting impact on both the local economy and the community at large.
Joseph A. Chrisman
Bio
A native of Shelby County, Joe grew up in rural Green Township, where his Chrisman ancestors first settled in the 1840s. His deep roots in the community helped spark a lifelong interest in local history and genealogy. As a youth, Joe completed his Eagle Scout project by restoring the historic wrought-iron fence at Plattsville Cemetery, where many of his ancestors are laid to rest.
After graduating from Fairlawn High School, Joe served a two-year, full-time proselyting mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Miami, Florida, where he became fluent in Spanish. He went on to earn a B.A. in Humanities with a Greek and Latin emphasis from Brigham Young University and later received his law degree from the University of Cincinnati in 2007. He has practiced law in Sidney ever since.
Joe is an active member of Temperance Lodge No. 73 F&AM, where he serves as Lodge Musician. His passion for local history—especially genealogy and building connections within the community—aligns strongly with the mission of the Shelby County Historical Society. In his spare time, he enjoys playing piano, biking, exploring linguistics, and tracing family lineages.
Joe and his wife, Heather, are the proud parents of four children.
Linda DeVelvis
Bio
A lifelong resident of Sidney, Linda DeVelvis has devoted her career to education and preserving the rich history of her community. She spent 29 years teaching at Sidney City Schools, where she began teaching U.S. History in 1987 and quickly discovered a deep love for the subject, especially the stories rooted in her hometown.
Driven by that passion, Linda developed a special local history unit for her 8th-grade students, which included hands-on research projects and a walking tour of downtown Sidney. In 1993, she partnered with Rich Wallace to help rejuvenate the Shelby County Historical Society. With the exception of just two years, she has served on the board ever since, including a term as Co-President alongside Julie Gilardi.
Linda is also the author of four children’s books that explore Shelby County’s local history, helping to engage and educate future generations. Her contributions to historical preservation and education have been recognized with an Individual Achievement Award from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies in 2004 and induction into the Sidney City Schools Hall of Honor in 2014.
Through her work in the classroom and the community, Linda continues to inspire a deep appreciation for local history and civic pride.
Teresa Ditmer
Bio
Teresa wears many hats: nurse, leader, mom, and proud owner of the oldest brick home in Shelby County. With a lifelong passion for caring for others and preserving the past, she brings a unique blend of compassion, leadership, and pioneer spirit to our board.
Armed with degrees from Ohio Northern University, Edison State Community College, and Wright State University, Teresa spent 15 years providing bedside care in med-surg and telemetry before stepping into leadership roles in healthcare administration. While earning her Master’s degree, she dreamed up and launched a free clinic for uninsured community members, offering care to those who needed it most. Since then, she’s worked with Valeritas, AstraZeneca, and now Abbott Diabetes Care, all while staying deeply rooted in her community.
But Teresa’s talents don’t stop at medicine. She’s also a passionate volunteer with the Shelby County Historical Society, where you’ll often find her bringing the past to life at events like Pioneer Days, Christmas of Yesteryear, the Graceland Cemetery Tour, and the delightfully spooky Ghost Tour. You might even find her staffing the Wallace Center or sharing stories about the Miami Erie Canal twin culverts—which just happen to sit on her property along Turtle Creek.
Married with two adult children, Teresa enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and giving back to the community she calls home. Whether she’s in a board meeting or wearing a bonnet for a historical reenactment, Teresa brings passion, purpose, and a whole lot of pioneer spirit to everything she does.
Darlene Roll
Bio
Darlene lives in Logan County, near Bellefontaine, Ohio but became active in Shelby County organizations because her mother was born in Montra, near Jackson Center. Darlene is a board member of the Shelby County Historical Society, serves on the America 250 committee, and is a member of the Shelby County Genealogical Society where she serves as president. She is retired from Sprint (formerly United Telephone Company), where she worked in various departments throughout Ohio. A second career took her to Ohio Hi-Point Career Center, where she worked with all partner schools in the Career Center District before her retirement.
Darlene has a heart for serving and helping others. She has been a Lions Club member for 25 years, serving locally and at the state level. She is a member of the Independent Telecommunications Pioneer Association (ITPA), which provides community service, has served locally, at the state level, as past national president, and currently serves as ITPA National Charitable Foundation president. She is a Co-Chair for the Greater Riverside Area Community Encouragers (G.R.A.C.E.) program, which provides weekend meal bags to children facing food insecurity and summer lunch programs in the Riverside School district. She serves as the Financial Secretary for her church, Stony Creek Church.
While most people think she has no spare time, she enjoys time with family, travel and reading - and occasionally watching the OSU Buckeyes sporting events.
Scott Smith
Bio
Scott Smith brings over three decades of financial experience and community involvement to the board. He spent 18 years in the banking industry, where he honed his lending expertise and developed a knack for personal communication (he’s never met a stranger). He then spent 14 years with Hobart, focusing on credit management and collections. Scott spent the last 15 years of his career with Mutual Federal in Sidney, OH, retiring as Assistant Vice President.
Even in retirement, he remains actively involved in the community. He’s a past president of Kiwanis, a long-time supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby County, and currently serves on the board of the Shelby County Historical Society. One of his proudest contributions was helping to construct the Kiwanis-Rotary All Inclusive Park at Tawawa Park, a project close to his heart and built for everyone to enjoy.
When he’s not volunteering or attending board meetings, Scott enjoys spending time with his wife, Judy, and their adult children. You'll find Scott is always ready with a smile, a story, or a solid piece of financial advice.
Shelby County Historical Society Staff
Tilda Phlipot
Director
Bio
Born and raised in the heart of Shelby County, Ohio, Tilda Philpot has always been rooted in community, history, and a love of learning. A proud graduate of Lehman Catholic High School, she went on to attend Northwestern Business College, where she laid the groundwork for a career in business and administration.
Tilda’s early professional adventures included roles at Baumfolder Corporation and Michael Philpot Trucking. But her most rewarding, and challenging, position came during a brief career pause: raising her four children, James, Leslie, Sarah, and Sonya. Once they were off and running, Tilda returned to the workforce as a kindergarten aide at Holy Angels, where she discovered a true joy in helping children learn and grow.
Following a stint with the circulation staff at the Sidney Daily News, Tilda joined the Shelby County Historical Society in an accounting role. There, she found the perfect blend of her business background and her love of working with children. As her role evolved, so did her impact. She became the creative force behind many of the Society’s educational programs for young learners, including Civil War Day and Pioneer Day, which have inspired curiosity and sparked imaginations for years. Her goal? To make history feel less like a list of dates and more like a grand adventure—because she believes that when kids connect with the past, they carry its lessons into the future.
Today, as Director, Tilda continues to wear many hats: organizer, educator, historian, and occasional cat-herder (especially on field trip days). Her heart for children, her eye for detail, and her deep love for local history make her an irreplaceable part of the organization’s mission and spirit.
Jane Bailey
Curator
Bio
Jane Bailey is currently the Building Coordinator for the Wallace Family Learning and Innovation Center, a hands-on museum established in 2023. She has also been the Curator for the Shelby County Historical Society since 2015.
Jane is very passionate about history, loves to research and write informative articles for local publications, and design creative flyers promoting our organization. During the Shelby County Bicentennial, she helped design and create the Discover Shelby County History app available to download on your cellphone.
In her free time, Jane enjoys traveling to new places and is an avid reader who enjoys collecting special edition books to add to her in-home library.
Sharon Mohrbacher
Administrative Assistant
Bio
Sharon Mohrbacher is a graduate of Sidney High School and the UVJVS in Piqua. She later earned her degree in Business Management from Edison State College.
Since 2007, Sharon has been a dedicated part of the Shelby County Historical Society as the Administrative Assistant. She has contributed to preserving and celebrating the region’s rich history. Among the many events she’s help organize, the Field of Flags and the Vietnam Wall and Wreaths Across America stands out as her favorite—unforgettable tributes to veterans and a moving symbol of community pride.
Sharon is married to Danny Mohrbacher and together they have a son, Ian. She continues to be passionate about honoring the past while engaging with the present.
Heather Moffitt
Coordinator
Bio
Heather Moffitt grew up in the charming small town of Metuchen, New Jersey, and then spent nearly two decades in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, raising her three children in Washington State. A few years ago, fate—and a fairytale—led her to Sidney, Ohio, where she and her husband fell in love with the sleeping castle Bonnyconnellen.
Now living out their very own “happily ever after,” Heather splits her time between working at the Shelby County Historical Society and lovingly restoring their historic home. Whether she’s uncovering pieces of Ohio’s past or breathing new life into castle walls, Heather is always chasing history, heart first.
With members of every generation of her family having served in the military, Heather carries a deep sense of patriotism and heartfelt gratitude for veterans. This legacy fuels her respect for those who served and adds a special reverence to the stories she helps preserve, especially those woven with courage, sacrifice, and service.
Heather is also a proud member of the Order of the Eastern Star and volunteers her time mentoring young women through the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. Whether it’s guiding the next generation or honoring those who came before, Heather brings heart, history, and a touch of magic to everything she does.
Eve Schwepe
Archive Specialist
Bio
Evie is a lifelong resident of Sidney. She graduated from Grace College and Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana, in May 2025 with a Bachelor’s degree in History and plans to pursue a Master’s degree in Library Science with a concentration in Archiving. Evie has been working with the Historical Society since June 2025, where she assists with transcribing the Shelby County Infirmary Record and supports the creation of exhibits and special events. She also works in the Circulation Department at the Piqua Public Library. In her free time, Evie enjoys reading, listening to music, drawing, and painting.