Welcome Carly Callahan and JP Couture - Preserve RI's New Trustees

Preserve RI is excited to welcome five new members to our Board of Trustees. We will be profiling our newest Trustees throughout the first few months of 2026.

Carly Callahan, Westerly

Carly is the Executive Director of the UNITED, a non-profit regional center for arts and arts education (based in Westerly) showcasing world-class performing, visual, and creative work and servicing over 65,000 people each year. Previously, Carly was the Managing Director of Seaview Productions, a Tony and Olivier Award-winning production company. Producing credits on Broadway include POTUS, the twelve-time Tony Award nominated Slave Play and Sea Wall / A Life. As an artistic entrepreneur focused on developing innovative live and digital audience experiences, Carly led the development of initiatives around Slave Play with Black Out, The Golden Collection, and Broadway Plus One. Additionally, she worked to bring Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical to life in just over 30 days, which raised over $2 Million for The Actors Fund, making it their most successful fundraising event ever. Carly's passion for the arts extends to her career as a professional singer and actress. She has performed with the Ivoryton Playhouse, Sanibel Music Festival, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and the National Tour of Victor/Victoria. A graduate of Brown University, Carly is also deeply committed to community service. She also serves on the boards of the Ocean Community YMCA, Ivoryton Playhouse, and Gallim Dance.

Carly and her husband, Matt, won the Homeowner Award at last year's Rhody Awards. Watch their video here.

“I’m honored to join the board of Preserve RI and to stand alongside such thoughtful stewards of Rhode Island’s historic places. Preservation is about more than buildings; it’s about the stories they hold and the communities they shape. I’m excited to support this work, to help amplify the voices and histories that make our state unique, and to contribute to a future where Rhode Island’s heritage remains a living, shared resource.”

JP Couture, Providence

Jon-Paul "JP" Couture is an architect in Rhode Island who specializes in the restoration of historic properties. His vast portfolio of 34 years spans across the state, working with over 100 properties. He currently heads his own firm, JP Couture Architect, Inc.

When not at work, JP is active in the community. He has served on numerous boards, including Historic New England, the Providence Preservation Society, and the Providence Revolving Fund. He currently sits on the board of the RI Historical Society, and now, Preserve Rhode Island.

"As the preservation of Rhode Island’s wonderful historic fabric faces increasing pressure from municipalities, some developers and loosened zoning and historic commission standards, organizations like Preserve RI are more important than ever in terms of safeguarding the physical beauty of our state and the 8 billion dollar tourism industry to which the contribution of historic preservation is second only to the Ocean in terms of drawing visitors. I’m proud to be part of a group that cares about our heritage and communities across the state."

JP was featured in our series, People in Preservation, last year. Read his interview here.