9/11 Memorial & Museum CEO on 9/11 attacks: remembrance is ‘an act of patriotism’

Before becoming the president and CEO of New York City’s 9/11 Memorial & Museum in 2022, Capt. Elizabeth Hillman spent seven years in the Air Force as a space operations officer and Air Force Academy history instructor. She has also served as the inaugural chair of the Military Justice Review Panel, as well as the president of the National Institute of Military Justice. Military Families Magazine Senior Contributor Crystal Kupper interviewed Hillman to discuss the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, educating the next generation about that day, and why it is important that we never forget.

Where were you on Sept. 11 both physically and in life, and how did that day affect you?

I had left New York the month before and moved to Philadelphia for my first job after being in graduate school. I had recently left the Air Force and was preparing to teach at Rutgers. My sister was still in New York, and my partner at the time was on a train pulling into Penn Station when the first plane hit.

Like most people across the country, I watched the events of that terrible morning unfold on television. And like many others, I began trying to figure out what it meant and what I should do in response. For many of the people who wrestled with those questions, it meant changes in their career choices and daily lives; they volunteered with the Red Cross to offer what aid and comfort they could, were inspired to train to become first responders like all of those who charged head first into danger on that day, or enlisted in the armed forces, putting their lives on the line to protect the freedoms we cherish.

When you took over the reins of the 9/11 Memorial, what was your top priority? Has that priority changed at all, especially with the 25th anniversary approaching?

When I became president and CEO of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in 2022, my priority was expanding our audience and engaging the next generation. More than 100 million Americans are too young to remember 9/11, which makes this anniversary an especially important moment to honor those killed, remember how we came together in the aftermath, and educate new generations. I am honored to lead an organization that tells the story of 9/11 and its impact– including the courage and compassion it revealed and its ongoing consequences.

How does your past military service impact the way you lead the Memorial?

The qualities that make people successful in the armed forces are much the same as those that bring success in the context of civilian leadership. I often think of General Omar Bradley, who believed that compassion was not a handicap to command but a measure of it. He also understood that small groups of people, when united around a mission and empowered to act, can solve extraordinarily difficult problems. I try to bring that outlook to every opportunity I get, including here at the Memorial & Museum.

Pledging to never forget how our country was attacked on 9/11 and how we came together in the aftermath is an act of patriotism.

How is the Memorial commemorating the 25th anniversary?

Each year on 9/11, family members come together to read aloud the names of the 2,983 men, women, and children killed in the 2001 attacks at the World Trade Center site, the Pentagon, and aboard Flight 93, and those killed in the February 26, 1993 WTC bombing. This ceremony brings together people from across the world, and it is solemn and deeply touching. This year’s commemoration ceremony will also include an additional moment of silence honoring those who have died from 9/11-related injuries and illnesses in the years since the attacks. It will take place after the reading of the names and become a permanent part of the ceremony moving forward.

We have also launched a nationwide public service announcement featuring people whose experiences on 9/11 inspired them to serve others, including firefighters, police officers and volunteers. It also highlights victims’ family members born after 9/11 who have taken up the promise to never forget.

As part of our effort to commemorate this anniversary, we are offering a Digital Learning Experience to students across the country with a film highlighting first-person accounts of the attacks and their aftermath. Educating the next generation is a central part of our mission to never forget.

So many young people now, even active-duty troops, were not alive when Sept. 11 happened. How do you educate or communicate to them that day’s importance, alongside the events that followed, to the next generation?

Rather than telling young people that it’s important to remember 9/11, we offer them context so they can come to that understanding themselves. We teach about the chronology and facts and then broaden out to the implications of the attacks on the world we live in today. Highlighting personal stories helps all of us connect to historical events.

As the world around us evolves, we are constantly updating our resources to share more stories and perspectives. We do so by developing new lesson plans and educational programs, exploring subjects ranging from the mission that killed Osama Bin Laden to the symbolism of the American flag that was raised by FDNY firefighters at Ground Zero on the afternoon of 9/11. These different entry points help young people understand the day’s lasting impact and the ideas and people who have made a difference in the arc of the United States.

We have also been honored to host programs tailored to the military and hundreds of reenlistment ceremonies since we opened.

For those who are able to come visit us in New York, the Museum offers free admission to active-duty and retired U.S. military members and veterans, and we would be honored to have you.

Are there any new exhibits on the horizon for the Memorial?

On September 12, the Museum will be opening a special exhibition entitled In Their Honor: 25 Years of 9/11-Inspired Service. The exhibit explores the enduring impact of service in the aftermath of the attacks. That day united people who chose to transform grief into action, and the Museum has chosen to commemorate their stories.

This includes John Paluska, who was a college freshman on 9/11 who volunteered at Ground Zero for nearly a week after the attack. Formerly a business major, he began basic training in 2002 and was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer in 2005. He later became a Green Beret, deploying repeatedly to Iraq and Afghanistan over 12 years. Wounded by shrapnel in 2006, he earned a Purple Heart.

[Hanna] and Heather Born are also highlighted in the exhibit. On 9/11, two-year-old Hanna and her four-month-old sister, Heather, were in the Pentagon complex’s day care with nearly 140 other children. When hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the main building, military personnel evacuated the day care. As the sisters grew older, the rescue became part of the story they carried—and a model of service. Hanna now serves in the U.S. Air Force and Heather in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Why is it still so crucial for the U.S. to pause and remember 9/11 and its victims each year?

Sometimes a milestone comes when the world needs it most. This 25th anniversary is an opportunity to remember that people can overcome tremendous challenges and come together in the face of a shared crisis.

Do you have a particularly impactful 9/11 story that has stayed close to your heart through the years?

So many families were devastated by the attacks on 9/11, and their strength and resilience has been inspiring. One of those stories is told in this year’s Anniversary Digital Learning Experience and new special exhibition.

James and Patrick Dowdell had childhoods filled with days of surfing near their home in Queens and playing the bagpipes in the backyard with their father, Kevin. The three were inseparable, spending time together whenever Kevin wasn’t working as a firefighter with the FDNY.

On 9/11, Lieutenant Kevin Dowdell responded to the emergency calls from firehouse Rescue 4 in Queens. Until rescue and recovery workers found a firefighting tool engraved with “KD R4” in the wreckage of the South Tower, his family knew little about what he experienced that day. The marking stood for “Kevin Dowdell, Rescue 4”. Like 40% of the people killed at the World Trade Center that day, Kevin’s remains were never recovered.

James was a high school student in 2001. From a young age, he knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming an FDNY firefighter, which only held deeper significance after his father’s death. When James graduated from the FDNY Fire Academy in 2006, he was given the same badge number as his father. Currently, James is assigned to Rescue 2 in Brooklyn. In 2025, he was promoted to lieutenant, his father’s rank, on what would have been his father’s 70th birthday.

In 2001, Patrick was a freshman in college. That summer, he was preparing his application to West Point after being waitlisted the year before. Kevin had worked closely with Patrick on his application, and after his father’s death, Patrick decided to complete the application process. In 2002, Patrick was accepted and began his studies at West Point, graduating in 2006. Following graduation, he served two deployments, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.

James and Patrick are leading lives that exemplify the heroic service and impact of their father. They continue to come back to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum and partner with us on commemorative and educational programming, and it’s a great privilege to have their participation in this critical work.

How can Americans best honor the anniversary a quarter-century later?

Taking time on September 11 to remember and reflect, whether that means tuning into the commemoration ceremony or reading tributes that have been published over the years, can help each of us understand more deeply what happened and commit to honoring the people killed. Visit our online web hub for the 25th anniversary, NeverForget.org, and help us keep memories of sacrifice, courage, compassion, and strength alive.

Any special military-themed programming or events happening this year for the Memorial’s annual Salute to Service?

A new Museum installation is dedicated to the sacrifices made by fallen service members after 9/11 through Global War on Terror military memorials. It currently features the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Memorial that remembers personnel who have died in combat since September 11, 2001.

Twenty-five years ago, Veterans Day across our nation was marked by mixed emotions. In New York City, the fires were still burning at Ground Zero, and the war in Afghanistan was underway. Yet the iconic parade up Fifth Avenue stood as a powerful reminder of our nation’s gratitude for the men and women who serve in uniform.

This Veterans Day, the 9/11 Memorial is honored to welcome the New York City Veterans Day Parade Grand Marshals and veterans from each military branch before the parade steps off, as the site once again serves as a backdrop for service, sacrifice, and remembrance.

Each year, we join those who carry a giant American flag in the parade up Fifth Avenue—a tradition that reflects our enduring commitment to honoring those who have served our country and the values they’ve defended.

For more information on the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, which is free to active-duty and retired U.S. service members and veterans, visit the website.