WHO WE ARE
MISSION
Preserve Rhode Island protects and celebrates Rhode Island's historic places for generations to come.
2022 ANNUAL REPORT
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Elizabeth Alexander Goddard, co-Chair
William W. Kenyon, co-Chair
John M. Woolsey, co-Chair
David Abbott
James Michael Abbott
Kimberly Smith Barnett
Rebecca J. Bertrand
Sheila Brush
Abigail Campbell-King
Kristen A. Carron Esq.
Jerry W. Dauterive Ph. D.
Kristin DeKuiper
Erica Luke
Amy Oakley
Brett N. Pelletier
Christopher G. Ponder
Kathleen A. Ryan Esq.
Michael A. Sherry
Amy Neal Sonder
Jennifer Suellentrop
Theresa Guzman Stokes
Rosalind M. Weir
STRATEGIC PLAN
Ensuring a place for the past in Rhode Island's future
OUR STAFF
Valerie Talmage
Executive Director
Valerie is an experienced preservation professional and non-profit administrator. She is the former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Historical Commission and MA State Historic Preservation Officer. She then shifted from working in historic preservation policy and regulation to land conservation as a Land Protection Specialist for The Trustees of Reservations. In 1997, Valerie became the Director of Projects for the New England Office of the Trust for Public Land, overseeing a $50 million portfolio of conservation real estate transactions. In 2007, Valerie joined Preserve Rhode Island as its Executive Director.
(401) 272-5101 ext. 203
Tom Peterson
Development Director
Tom Peterson works with non-profits to build sustainable models for growth. A former marketing strategist and brand builder for international CPG companies (Unilever, Estee Lauder, Swarovski), tech companies (IGT), marketing agencies, non-profits and small/challenger brands, he now utilizes his expertise for positive impact in Rhode Island. His ability to interpret consumer insights, find new markets and audiences, build affinity and loyalty with current customers/donors and create effective communication strategies across media platforms provide him with a unique ability in helping organizations meet their goals. He has a B.A. in Finance from Fordham University and a M.B.A. in Marketing/International Business from N.Y.U.
(401) 272-5101 ext. 201
Paul Trudeau
Program and Property Manager
Paul joined PRI in 2018. A native of Rhode Island, he holds both a B.A. in History and a M.A. in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. His background includes work as a preservation planner, nonprofit director, and construction project manager. He has a passion for wood window restoration and finding solutions for the adaptive reuse of older buildings.
(706) 224-4344
Emma Sheridan
Program Coordinator
A part of the PRI team since 2022, Emma has experience working across diverse spaces, from marketing and hospitality to event and property management, when she administered several historic buildings on Providence’s West End. Having moved to Warren from Washington, DC, Emma completed her Bachelor’s in Communications with a minor in Political Science at the University of Rhode Island. She is passionate about expanding the dialogue of historical preservation to questions of housing justice and public policy, in order to ask how built environments can be both sustainably and equitably stewarded. Away from PRI, Emma enjoys working on a range of design, illustration, and architectural projects.
(401) 272-5101 ext. 204
Carrie Taylor
Lippitt House Museum Director
Carrie came to Lippitt House Museum to be its first director in 2013. Prior to joining PRI, she was Registrar and later Collections Manager at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia home. Carrie was elected Phi Beta Kappa and graduated cum laude from the University of Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in History. She then earned a master’s degree in Public History with a Museums Studies concentration from the University of South Carolina. She is an active member of several professional organizations including the American Association for State and Local History, the New England Museum Association and the Victorian Society in America. She serves on the Board of the Friends of the Brown University Library and is a 2013 graduate of the Seminar for Historical Administration.
(401) 490-0289
Cathy Saunders
Lippitt House Museum Curator of Education
Cathy has spent three decades providing children and adults with experiences, knowledge, and tools to enable them to be their own advocates and their own agents for change. She earned an MSEd in Museum Education Leadership from Bank Street College. She has held education leadership positions at Providence Children’s Museum and Science Museum of Minnesota. She is a member of the board of directors of New England Museum Association. Currently, she is an independent consultant based in Providence, Rhode Island and Curator of Education at Lippitt House Museum.
csaunders@preserveri.org
(401) 453-0688
Naydine Rock
Development & Special Events Manager
Naydine brings a depth of experience in development. Most recently, she was at Lincoln School where she spent six years as Manager of Donor Services. A native Rhode Islander, she started her career as the Traffic Reporter for Spy-in-the-Sky. Naydine attended Manhattanville College and holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. She is a resource for Preserve Rhode Island members and donors.
(401) 272-5101 ext. 205
Jane Bird
Museum Associate
Jane comes to Preserve Rhode Island from a background in community outreach and the arts. She grew an early love of history as a tour guide, researcher and historical reenactor at several house museums in her hometown of Concord, Massachusetts. Creating and performing educational programs at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House, the Wayside, the Concord Museum, The Old Manse, and the Longfellow House in Cambridge, she also served as a tour guide at the Southeast Lighthouse on Block Island, and the Lower East Side Tenement Museum in New York City. Jane holds a B.F.A. in Drama from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and trained at the Atlantic Theater Conservatory in New York. In addition to her work at Lippitt House, Jane is an active volunteer in educational theater, improv and drama therapy organizations in Providence.
(401) 453-0688
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Property Manager
Preserve Rhode Island is seeking a motivated, organized, and team-oriented individual to fill the position of Property Manager. The Property Manager will serve as the main point of contact for all property-related activities at Preserve RI, including general maintenance and inspection, project planning and budgeting, vendor coordination, tenant oversight, security and emergency response, event setup, landscaping and snow removal oversight, and stewardship services for properties contracted with Preserve RI.
The ideal candidate will have a bachelor’s degree or building trade education/certification, experience working with historic buildings, an understanding of building systems, basic handyperson skills, experience with budgets and project planning, and an ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously. This full-time position includes a generous benefits package. Click here for full job description.
To Apply: Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to jobs@preserveri.org (no phone calls please). This position will be open until filled.
HISTORY
Preserve Rhode Island (PRI) was founded in 1956 under state charter to "preserve the beautiful historic buildings, places and things in Rhode Island." Properties such as Lippitt House Museum, Jeremiah Dexter House, Philip Walker House, and Hannah Robinson's Rock were donated, accepted for stewardship, and have been guided into responsible management - whether under our direct care or through affiliated organizations.
In 1999, the organization adopted its current name (previously the Heritage Foundation of Rhode Island and then the Heritage Trust of Rhode Island), marking the expansion of its role from steward to statewide preservation advocate. PRI began responding to local issues in communities that grappled with sprawl, lack of resources, community revitalization, maintaining community character and more.
PRI is a 501(3)c non-profit charitable organization directed by a volunteer Board of Trustees dedicated to protecting the historic and unique places that define Rhode Island. Our small professional staff work with a philosophy of team work amongst ourselves and collaborate with other organizations and individuals, all to preserve Rhode Island as a place where we love to live, work and play.
Internship at Lippitt House Museum
If you are interested in an Internship with Lippitt House Museum, please send an e-mail to Carrie Taylor, Lippitt House Museum's Director with information about the type of internship you are seeking and your current school/college/university affiliation.