Meet Dr. Antoinette Carter Jenkins, Board Member Historic Port Royal, Inc

Dr. Antoinette Carter Jenkins has dedicated her career to supporting the enrichment of people and organizations as an educator, human resource and organizational development professional, and researcher. She possesses over 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector and academia. She recently represented our community as regional director for a statewide initiative to strengthen our emerging workforce through internships.

In that capacity, she led the Rappahannock Work and Learn Collaborative at the University of Mary Washington, fostering collaboration among regional stakeholders, securing funding, and facilitating student and employer readiness to advance the Commonwealth’s work-based learning initiatives under the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership. Prior to that role, she served as an adjunct business professor at Northern Virginia Community College for over a decade.

Antoinette holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from George Mason University and a master of business administration degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. She earned her doctoral degree in human and organizational learning from George Washington University, where her research interests focused on the nexus between organizational culture and social impact. She also holds a Senior Professional in Human Resources certification from the HR Certification Institute.

With roots in Caroline County, Antoinette is descended from ancestors who have contributed their talents to enriching our community over centuries. One tangible artifact of those contributions is the Old Port Royal School, which she recently learned was founded and operated by members of her family. Antoinette is passionate about discovering and honoring the lived experiences of ancestors through genealogy research. In 2025, her decades-long quest to uncover her family’s stories led her to volunteer service with Historic Port Royal. Antoinette supports the mission of Historic Port Royal by serving on the Museum and Finance Committees and is honored to have been appointed by Mrs. Cleopatra Coleman to manage outreach and programming for the Old Port Royal School.

When she is not volunteering or researching historical records, Antoinette enjoys spending time with her family and learning new skills, such as crocheting. She and her husband are the proud parents of six children.