Zachary Pittard was born in Southside Virginia in 1992 and raised there his entire life.  Growing up, he was steeped in stories of his family’s past, most notably, he says, of grandfather William who served in the 5th Army during World War II.  Hearing those stories spurred an intrigue and, later in life, an infatuation with all things historical.  When Zachary graduated high school in 2011, he set off for Longwood University.  There, Zachary studied and honed his passion for this in the LU History Department.  An internship at Sailor’s Creek Battlefield led him to a career in parks and museums.  After five years at Sailor’s Creek, Zachary worked for four years at Pamplin Historical Park and the National Museum of the Civil War Soldier. While finishing his thesis work on Mecklenburg County, Virginia, Zachary worked at Staunton River Battlefield State Park.  Zachary Pittard earned a Master’s in History through Virginia Commonwealth University in May, 2023. He is now the Director of Education and Interpretation at Pamplin Historical Park.