Interview with Sheryl Hack

Last week, Preserve RI’s Board of Trustees announced that Sheryl Hack has joined the organization as its next Executive Director. Sheryl Hack comes to Preserve RI after serving as a Historic Preservation Specialist for FEMA, as Executive Director of Connecticut Landmarks, and in multiple roles at Canterbury Shaker Village. She holds a BA in History from UC Santa Cruz; a MA from the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture, where she focused on vernacular architecture studies; and a MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership from New England College.

1. What interested you in taking on this new role as Executive Director of Preserve RI?

I’ve had the privilege of building a career in historic preservation, architectural conservation and historic site management in New England. Through professional meetings while at Canterbury Shaker Village in New Hampshire and as Executive Director of Connecticut Landmarks, as well as personal visits, I got a taste of Rhode Island’s beauty and its amazing historic, cultural and natural resources which are clearly worthy of preservation. It’s essential to me to put my energy into publicly beneficial work. I see this role as an opportunity to continue to do so.

2. How has your background and experience prepared you for this role?

Over the past 35 years I’ve worked in virtually all aspects of the historic preservation field and held a variety of appointed positions. I served on the Governor’s Historic Resources Council in New Hampshire; worked as an architectural historian for a cultural resources management firm, an international engineering company, and for FEMA; oversaw the preservation and management of eleven historic sites across Connecticut; served as an Architectural Assessor for Heritage Preservation; and spearheaded the architectural conservation of Canterbury Shaker Village’s twenty-four original Shaker buildings. With this diversity of experience across the preservation arena, I feel well positioned to lead Preserve Rhode Island.

3. How did you first become interested in historic preservation?

As part of my undergraduate work, I spent time studying in Colonial Williamsburg and at the College of William and Mary where I was introduced to vernacular architecture studies, historic preservation and museum practice. At that point I didn’t know what I wanted to do for my career; I just knew that I wanted to get paid to do what I love. The following summer, I got an internship at the Oakland Museum of California History under the direction of one of the then leading lights of the history museum field who schooled me in history museum practice and told me that I should attend the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture in Delaware to obtain my MA. I went to Winterthur and studied vernacular architecture. The rest is history….

4. What role do you see historic preservation playing in improving our communities?

I see historic preservation playing numerous roles in sustaining and improving the quality of life in Rhode Island’s communities by providing much-needed affordable housing; supporting cultural and natural resource and landscape preservation; and building our local economies by supporting tourism and providing living wage jobs.

5. You're new to Rhode Island. What are some of your favorite places you've discovered so far?

Although my time has been quite limited so far, I’ve enjoyed visiting historic properties in Providence, Bristol and Newport. As the weather warms, I’m looking forward to exploring the state. I’m open to invitations and suggestions as to where I should go and what I should see.