Lawrence Swiader didn’t set out to become the Chief Digital Officer of the American Battlefield Trust. In fact, his journey began far from the battlefields, in the ancient streets of Athens, Greece. Fresh out of Syracuse University with a degree in television, radio, and film production, Lawrence followed his soon-to-be wife to Athens, where he landed his first job as the morning editor of Athens News, an English-language newspaper.
In Athens, Lawrence discovered more than just a love for ouzo and spanakopita. He found a passion for helping people learn. After a year at the newspaper, he transitioned into teaching at a local college, an experience that would become the foundation of his career. “Teaching—or more precisely, helping people learn—became a passion,” Lawrence recalls. This passion, coupled with his background in media, created a unique alchemy that shaped his future.
But it wasn’t just teaching that captured his interest. Living in Greece, surrounded by ancient ruins and archaeological sites, sparked a lifelong fascination with history. This blend of teaching, media, and history led Lawrence back to Syracuse University, where he earned a Master’s degree in Instructional Design, Development, and Evaluation. This degree was the perfect combination of learning and media that Lawrence had been seeking.
Lawrence’s career took him from the classrooms of Greece to the solemn halls of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. There, he spent a decade using technology to tell powerful stories about the Holocaust and inspire action against contemporary genocide. “We reached new audiences via products like A Good Man in Hell—a movie about the Rwandan genocide—distributed to classrooms around the world,” Lawrence shares. His work also included a groundbreaking online mapping initiative with Google, aimed at raising awareness of the genocide in Darfur, Sudan.
Afterward, Lawrence spent nine years working on a program called Bedsider, applying behavior change theory and emerging technology to address the high rates of unplanned pregnancy in the U.S. With a human-centered design approach, Bedsider helped individuals choose the right birth control methods and provided SMS reminders to avoid common mistakes.
Yet, despite these achievements, Lawrence’s passion for history and teaching never waned. In 2017, he joined the American Battlefield Trust as its Chief Digital Officer, a role that felt like the culmination of his varied experiences. “All my prior experiences have been essential to my current position,” Lawrence explains. His work at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy laid the groundwork for his current role, where he combines technology, education, and communication in the service of land preservation.
Crafting History in the Digital Age
Lawrence’s journey in the digital world has always been rooted in instructional design. Despite his broad responsibilities as Chief Digital Officer at the American Battlefield Trust, Lawrence still considers himself, first and foremost, an instructional designer. He believes that the core principles of instructional design—many of which overlap with human-centered design and behavior change—are essential to his work. “It’s about selecting the right tool at the right moment, in service of the goal,” Lawrence explains.
For Lawrence, the goal always comes first. He avoids the temptation to see technology as a solution in search of a problem. “I try to avoid ‘holding a hammer,’ or using some sort of technology, looking for ‘a nail,’ or something to fix,” he says. Instead, he focuses on understanding the goal deeply and determining how success will be measured. This approach naturally leads to a diverse set of tools and strategies, including non-digital solutions and marketing.
At the American Battlefield Trust, Lawrence’s role goes far beyond just building technological solutions. He understands the importance of spreading awareness and ensuring that the innovations his team creates reach the right audience. “Marketing, writing, and education play a big role in our work,” Lawrence notes. As Chief Digital Officer, he and his team are at the heart of everything the Trust does, from raising funds for land preservation to educating teachers and helping visitors to battlefield parks grasp the historical significance of these sites. They aim to turn these visitors into passionate advocates for the cause.
Lawrence is responsible for online education, marketing, and fundraising at the Trust. He oversees a vast array of digital tools, including more than 20 apps, websites, AR and VR experiences, email marketing, and social media. The Trust maintains constant contact with over a million people through these channels. During the school year, more than 80% of the traffic to the Trust’s website comes from students and teachers, underscoring the importance of Lawrence’s work in shaping the next generation’s understanding of history. His team also runs a Youth Leadership Team, preparing young people to become advocates for history and land preservation.
One of the American Battlefield Trust’s newer initiatives in which Lawrence is deeply involved is The Liberty Trail program. It ties together more than 30 parks in South Carolina—and eventually beyond—through digital and wayfinding experiences. This program is designed to help visitors better understand America’s Revolutionary War history. “Influencer marketing, corporate partnerships, and content licensing—all brand-new to the organization—are part of this program,” Lawrence shares.
Of course, the challenges Lawrence faces are many, and they are often the usual suspects: time and money. However, some challenges are unique to his role, particularly in keeping up with emerging technologies such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), AI, and the ever-changing landscape of privacy. Lawrence is always seeking to provide personalized experiences while protecting people’s privacy—a balance that is often difficult to achieve. He also wrestles with the high costs of deploying new technologies. “AR and VR are ‘shiny new toys’ that come with high costs, so how do we stay on top of their potential without overspending? This is a question I ponder quite often,” Lawrence admits.
The Power of the Written Word
Lawrence has always held a deep belief in the power of the written word. In his view, this fundamental unit of communication is incredibly versatile, playing a pivotal role in his “create once, publish everywhere” mantra. “Good writing can be turned into audio and video, support our VR presentations, and still be the best way that people find our website content,” Lawrence emphasizes.
In a world where search engines are constantly evolving, Lawrence understands the importance of strong, well-crafted content. Most people still find their way to the American Battlefield Trust’s website through organic search, which makes adding and updating content a critical strategy for visibility. Lawrence is keenly aware of the shifting landscape of online search. As search engines become more capable of providing answers directly on the search screen, the need for users to visit a website diminishes. Yet, Lawrence knows that “our information and brand have a much better chance of being displayed prominently if we are writing a lot and writing well.”
Understanding the needs of classrooms across the U.S. is also central to Lawrence’s strategy. Feedback from teacher advisors has revealed that videos are often more effective than elaborate curricula. With this in mind, Lawrence has led the Trust to heavily invest in video production over the past five years, building out a significant presence on YouTube. This approach not only serves their student and teacher audiences but also supports fundraising efforts. In fact, the revenue generated from their YouTube channel has grown enough to fund a position within the organization.
As classrooms begin to embrace virtual reality (VR), Lawrence and his team are responding by creating content that brings the battlefield to students in a more immersive way. “We are creating more content for devices that show content in an immersive way,” he notes, highlighting the Trust’s commitment to staying at the forefront of educational technology.
When it comes to digital trends, Lawrence sees artificial intelligence (AI) as the most significant force shaping the future. However, he is mindful of using AI in ways that genuinely enhance productivity. For example, AI has become a valuable tool for the Trust’s social media team, allowing them to be more prolific in their postings. “Putting together a daily quiz for social media can be very time-consuming. AI can create easy and quick first drafts that the team can then edit and customize,” Lawrence explains.
AI has also transformed the way the Trust produces audio content. With the ability to generate high-quality voiceovers through AI, the organization can now reserve the expense of professional voiceover talent for only the most critical projects. This efficiency allows the Trust to create more content—whether apps or web presentations—than ever before.
Bringing History to Life
Lawrence is at the forefront of using innovative digital programs to preserve and share America’s historical treasures. One of the groundbreaking initiatives under his leadership is the photogrammetry of historic sites, particularly those associated with the land the American Battlefield Trust saves. Photogrammetry serves as a digital preservation tool, offering a way for people to visit and explore these sites from anywhere in the world.
Take, for example, the virtual presentation of Lee’s Headquarters, where photogrammetry has been used to create a 3D, photorealistic tour of the site, enhanced with a touch of storytelling. This virtual experience allows people to gain an immersive view of the place without being physically present. Lawrence and his team plan to continue this work, scanning both small and large objects. He shares one intriguing example: “We’ve scanned a Spanish piece of eight that was excavated from a site at Fort Fair Lawn, SC. This kind of work makes it possible for us to share primary source objects with the public soon after they are excavated. And the high-resolution scanning means that the object can be examined in great detail.”
While Lawrence is enthusiastic about these modern digital experiences, he also expresses a sense of nostalgia for the traditional, experiential online exhibitions that were more popular in the early 2000s. “I lament the demise of the traditional, experiential online exhibition,” he reflects. In recent years, the landscape has shifted towards more encyclopedia-like presentations of information, which, while valuable, lack the emotional impact of their predecessors.
In response, Lawrence collaborated with Interactive Knowledge to create the American Revolution Experience, an online exhibition that brings to life the stories of those who participated in the American Revolution. The project centers around a poignant question: “How were the lives of ordinary people affected by the events of the American Revolutionary War? As tensions mounted across the Thirteen Colonies, the entire Revolutionary Generation was faced with a difficult choice: to pledge loyalty to the Patriot cause and the prospect of a new nation or remain loyal to the King as subjects of the British Empire. How would you choose?”
Each biography within the American Revolution Experience is enriched with artifacts, interactive maps, and person-centered vignettes that explore the conflict from multiple perspectives. This approach allows visitors to develop a sense of historical empathy for the diverse individuals—Patriots, Loyalists, enslaved people, free citizens, foreign nationals, Native Americans, descendants of early colonists, and recent immigrants—whose lives were profoundly impacted by the war. “The site continues to grow and has led to the development of a traveling exhibition companion to the online exhibition that will have visited 64 venues by the end of the year,” Lawrence notes with pride.
This traveling exhibition has already drawn more than 25,000 in-person visitors and has received requests to host from 49 states and numerous countries. Through initiatives like these, Lawrence Swiader is not only preserving history but also making it accessible, engaging, and relevant to today’s audiences. His work ensures that the stories of the past continue to resonate and inspire, connecting people across time and space.
The Power of Digital Fundraising
For Lawrence, the survival and success of any organization hinge on effective fundraising, and in today’s world, that means digital fundraising. “Without funding, our organization ceases to exist,” Lawrence emphasizes, underscoring the critical role that raising money plays in the continued preservation of historic sites. His team is constantly innovating across the many digital channels available to engage donors and secure the necessary funds.
This past summer, the organization saw the fruits of these innovations with a successful 63-mile walk challenge campaign on Facebook, coupled with their first-ever coordinated Connected TV (CTV) ads to raise both awareness and money. Lawrence is a firm believer in the idea that marketing is integral to everything they do: “If people don’t know who you are, they can’t love you.” This philosophy drives his approach, where education lies at the heart of their efforts. He explains, “Any fundraising really does involve education because the best kind of fundraising makes people care through a knowledge of why battlefield land is important.”
Lawrence views fundraising, marketing, and education as inextricably linked components of the Trust’s mission. The digital team’s work has a direct impact on the organization’s ability to preserve land—nearly 60,000 acres have been saved to date. Through a mix of digital marketing tactics, the team raises awareness about the need for land preservation and uses email communication to keep donors informed about victories and ongoing efforts. Part of the donation process includes sharing compelling stories about the land’s historical significance, often conveyed through text, photos, and video. Lawrence highlights the importance of these narratives: “Our historians conduct tours as they walk upon this hallowed ground, bringing history to life in a way that resonates deeply with our supporters.”
Reflecting on the evolution of the Trust’s digital presence, Lawrence notes, “Seven years ago, the Trust didn’t have much of a social media presence. Our digital fundraising has proven that we can reach people who care about the mission and who will give through these channels.” This shift has led to a much stronger commitment to using social media not only for fundraising but also for advocacy and historical education. Today, under Lawrence’s guidance, the organization is expanding its digital footprint even further with CTV ads and collaborations with social media influencers.
Forging the Future
For Lawrence, the Trust’s digital strategy is not just about keeping up with the latest technology; it’s about aligning with the organization’s overarching mission—preserving battlefield land and educating the public. “Our long-term digital strategy must be aligned with the overall strategy of the organization and be supportive of its mission,” Lawrence explains. This means using digital tools to raise awareness about the need for battlefield preservation and to expand the Trust’s community of donors and supporters.
A key element of this strategy is place-based storytelling, where the goal is to meet people where they are, both physically and emotionally. Lawrence is deeply invested in finding ways to use technology to connect people with battlefield history, no matter where they are. He ponders, “How might we use technology to make people more aware of these connections and this history just in time, and trigger a lasting response?” The answer lies in a mix of advanced and traditional storytelling tools, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), text, photography, and video.
Looking ahead, Lawrence and his team are preparing for a momentous period in American history: the Semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. This historic milestone will span from 2025 to 2031, beginning with the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord and continuing through to Yorktown and beyond. Lawrence sees this as a prime opportunity to honor the people who fought for freedom and to deepen public awareness of the shared history that these battlefields represent.
During this time, the Trust’s digital presence will evolve to create ever more accessible geo-located content. Lawrence envisions a future where mobile devices can deliver stories based on the user’s location, making it possible for people to learn about the history that surrounds them in real time. Additionally, augmented reality will play a significant role in bringing the past to life. Lawrence shares his excitement about these possibilities: “We’ll recreate the great Horn Work in Charleston, the corduroy road in Oriskany, and even give people a sense of scale with great charges like Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg. Imagine life-sized depictions of people from our past, standing before you as if they were still here.”
Revolutionary Visions
Lawrence is brimming with enthusiasm for a new project that’s close to his heart: an app dedicated to the Revolutionary War in New York State. “Nearly one-third of all the battles fought during the American Revolution took place in New York State,” Lawrence shares, adding with a touch of personal pride, “and it happens to be my home state!” This ambitious project will kick off with immersive battlefield tours for the Oriskany, Newtown, and Bennington state historic sites. Each battlefield will offer a walking tour within the park, encouraging visitors to explore partner sites, historic markers, and local museums. Through a blend of audio and video storytelling, augmented reality (AR) will bring the history to life, making it feel like visitors have the best possible guide right in their pocket.
But Lawrence’s innovative spirit doesn’t stop there. He’s also eagerly anticipating the launch of augmented reality goggles at The Liberty Trail sites in South Carolina. These goggles, soon to be available at Marion Square in Charleston, Fort Fair Lawn in Moncks Corner, and Fort Watson in North Santee, will allow visitors to see what the great forts in each location looked like at scale. “It’s an ‘app-less’ experience,” Lawrence explains, “that visitors can experience quickly without any other device.” The project, a collaboration with Zubr Inc. in the UK, has seen historians work closely with the team to recreate these historic sites in stunning detail. Visitors who bring their smartphones can also wander through these augmented structures, experiencing the scale and intricacies of these places in a way that words alone could never capture.
As exciting as these digital projects are, Lawrence is equally passionate about the Trust’s Youth Leadership Team, which welcomes a new group of ten young people this August. “It’s not a digital program per se,” he admits, “but we use digital media to recruit and support the team and their projects—many of which are digital themselves.” This initiative is about more than just preservation; it’s about ensuring that the next generation of leaders carries forward a deep appreciation for history. By fostering a sense of wonder and love for the past in these young leaders, Lawrence believes the Trust is securing its mission for the future. “We stand a better chance of remembering where we came from in years to come,” he says, reflecting on the lasting impact of this vital work.
Through these innovative projects, Lawrence is not only preserving history but also creating new ways to engage with it. His work ensures that the stories of the past are not just remembered but are brought vividly to life for future generations.
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