Faith Herbert Leadership Award

The story of Constitution Island is, at its core, the story of the people who once lived and loved this place—and of the cadets whose lives were touched by its history. Among the earliest and most enduring figures of that story were Susan and Anna Warner, pioneers in every sense. These remarkable women stand as some of the earliest examples of leadership on the Island: women who survived against all odds and opened their home to generations of West Point cadets who found, in their modest rooms, a haven far from home—just as American Revolutionary War soldiers once had on these very grounds.

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For forty years in the 19th century, Anna and Susan Warner taught Bible classes to cadets who rowed across the Hudson River to attend, landing—by beautiful coincidence—on the very shoreline where the Great Chain of 1778 once lay anchored to defend the river and protect American independence. As we commemorate America250, we are reminded that the Warner sisters’ story is not frozen in time. It continues in every visitor who walks the garden paths, every volunteer who preserves the home, and every person moved by the patriotism woven into this landscape.

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The Faith Herbert Leadership Award carries deep meaning for our organization. It honors leaders who, like Susan and Anna Warner, have loved this place fiercely; forged alliances; opened and cared for the home; and safeguarded the stories and physical spaces that make Constitution Island a living monument to American history.

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For embodying these values with extraordinary dedication, Catherine Treuter stands as a most deserving recipient of this year’s award. She meticulously placed every artifact, missing no detail, working through the eyes and heart of Susan and Anna, a labor of personal love. Catherine breathed new life into the latest chapter of Constitution Island, and through her countless hours of volunteering, she ensured that, through the fruit of her labor, Constitution Island remains a place of inspiration, remembrance, and connection—alive with the same fortitude, values, and spirit that shaped it centuries ago.

Please join us in congratulating Catherine on this well-earned honor.