WHO WE ARE

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.

 

 

vtalmage@preserveri.org

(401) 272-5101 ext. 203

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.

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tpeterson@preserveri.org

(401) 272-5101 ext. 201

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.  

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ptrudeau@preserveri.org

(706) 224-4344

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.

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esheridan@preserveri.org

(401) 272-5101 ext. 204

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.  

 

ctaylor@preserveri.org

(401) 490-0289

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.

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csaunders@preserveri.org
(401) 453-0688

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.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

nrock@preserveri.org

(401) 272-5101 ext. 205

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.

 

jbird@preserveri.org

(401) 453-0688