Executive Staff
Richard Moe, President
David J. Brown, Executive Vice President
Tabitha Almquist, Chief of Staff & Executive Director of Media Relations
Peter H. Brink, Senior Vice President, Programs
Greg Coble, Vice President, Business & Finance
David Cooper, Vice President, Resources Development
Paul W. Edmondson, Vice President, Law and General Counsel
Dolores McDonagh, Vice President, Membership
Lauri Michel, Vice President, Community Revitalization
James Vaughan, Vice President, Stewardship of Historic Sites
Emily E. Wadhams, Vice President, Public Policy
President
Richard Moe
Richard Moe, the seventh president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, brings a lifelong interest in history and a career-long commitment to public service to the position.
As president, Moe leads the organization in its mission to save the nation’s diverse historic places and create more livable communities for all Americans. Under his direction, the National Trust has greatly strengthened its financial base, reaffirmed its commitment to expanding and diversifying the organized preservation movement, become an outspoken and effective advocate of controlling sprawl and encouraging smart growth, and launched innovative initiatives to demonstrate preservation’s effectiveness as a tool for community revitalization and as a key element in the fight against climate change.
A member of the board of the Ford Foundation, Moe was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Maryland in 1998 and an honorary doctorate from the University of Minnesota in 2005. He was named an honorary member of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2003 and was the recipient of the Vincent Scully Prize from the National Building Museum in 2007. He is co-author of Changing Places: Rebuilding Community in the Age of Sprawl, a study of the causes of urban decline and the use of historic preservation as a tool for revitalization, published in 1997; and author of The Last Full Measure: The Life and Death of the First Minnesota Volunteers, a Civil War history published in 1993. A native of Duluth, Minnesota, Moe graduated from Williams College and received a law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School. He held administrative positions in government at the city, state and federal levels and practiced law in Washington, D.C., before assuming the presidency of the National Trust in 1993.
Management Committee
David J. Brown, Executive Vice President
David Brown has worked for more than three decades helping people preserve the historic places of their communities. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Brown led the development team for – and currently oversees the implementation of – the Next Trust Strategic Plan, a blueprint of the future of the National Trust. He also leads the creation of www.PreservationNation.org, the online virtual town square where people share proven tools, make connections, and get inspired to save historic places. Brown provided direct oversight and strategic direction to The Campaign for America’s Historic Places, the comprehensive campaign for the future of the National Trust which raised more than $135 million against a $125 million goal from 1998-2003.
Prior to joining the National Trust in 1996, Brown served as the founding Executive Director of the Preservation Alliance of Virginia, a consortium of 150 preservation and conservation organizations representing more than 60,000 Virginians. In eight years, he forged the Alliance's commitment to advocacy, capacity building for local organizations, and the study and promotion of preservation's economic benefits. Under his direction, the Alliance successfully campaigned for state rehabilitation tax credits that since 1997 have spurred investment of over $300 million in more than 250 historic buildings. Brown also served as Director of Historic Staunton Foundation in Staunton, Virginia, where the organization’s downtown revitalization work has been recognized with a National Trust Honor Award and a Great American Main Street Award.
Brown has edited and authored numerous publications including A Future for Virginia’s Past, The report of the Governor’s Commission to Study Historic Preservation on which he served as Chairman. A native of Tennessee, Brown was one of the first graduates of the Historic Preservation Program at Middle Tennessee State University and he has a Masters in Planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Tabitha Almquist, Chief of Staff & Executive Director of Media Relations
Tabitha Almquist joined the staff of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2000. After holding various positions in the President's Office she became Chief of Staff to the President in 2004. In this capacity Almquist has provided strategic leadership and cross-organizational coordination to implement the President's agenda. In January of 2009 Almquist was named Executive Director of Media Relations in addition to serving as Chief of Staff. In this role she oversees the Media Relations staff, who work with the entire organization and its partners to share the stories of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the preservation movement with the public.
Before coming to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Almquist served in a Congressional press office on Capitol Hill where she sharpened her media relations skills, while learning the ins and outs of major legislative issues. She has worked on several statewide and federal political campaigns and held various positions, including campaign manager. Almquist's time spent in a lobbying and public relations firm broaden her understanding of governmental affairs and public relations. While there she assisted in the editing of two children's books, By the Light of the Captured Moon and A Thanksgiving Turkey, written by Julian Scheer, a well known children's author and public relations specialist.
Almquist grew up living preservation first hand, as both of her parents are "preservationists" who have spent most of their lives restoring historic homes. She holds a degree in journalism from The George Washington University.
Peter H. Brink, Senior Vice President, Programs
Peter Brink joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation in October 1989 as Vice President of Programs. In this position, he provides leadership for the organization’s key programmatic work to save historic places delivered through six Regional Offices, the Statewide and Local Partnerships Office, the Center for Preservation Leadership, the Heritage Tourism Program, the National Trust Preservation Fund, and the National Preservation Conference. From 1989 to 2001 Brink oversaw the work of the National Trust Main Street Center, the nation’s leader in preservation-based economic development. Brink was named Senior Vice President, Programs, in 2004.
Prior to joining the National Trust, Brink was the Executive Director of the Galveston (Texas) Historical Foundation, a community-wide nonprofit historic preservation organization with 3,000 members. As director of the Foundation he was responsible for such programs as the revitalization of The Strand National Historic Landmark District, attracting more that $75 million of investment; comprehensive residential neighborhood programs, including the Paint Partnership Program through which 600 homes of residents were painted; and restoration and operation of the 1877 Barque Elissa, Italianate mansion Ashton Villa and 1839 Samuel May Williams home. Under his leadership, the Foundation operated commercial and residential revolving funds, and served some 500,000 persons annually with its museums, visitors center and public events.
Brink has also served as an attorney in Washington, DC. He graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School.
Greg Coble, Vice President, Business & Finance
As the CFO for the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Greg Coble directs the financial management, endowment oversight, administration, human resources, information technology and headquarters building management functions of the National Trust. Coble is also responsible for developing and overseeing the growing business activities of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, including National Trust Tours; Historic Hotels of America, a member of the Preferred Hotels Group; and the Trust’s corporate marketing and licensing programs, including the Design in America licensing programs. He provides counsel to the leadership of the Board of Advisors, a unique group of on-the-ground preservation leaders from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories.
A twenty-five year veteran of the National Trust, Coble has served as Director of Human Resources, Assistant to the President, Director of Program Development, and Director of Budget and Planning. He formerly served as the Director of Corporate Budget at Blue Cross of California and as Operations Coordinator in the West Virginia Governor's Office of Economic and Community Development. He serves on the Board and Investments Committee of Bonnet House in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Coble is a native of Charleston, West Virginia. He has a degree in Journalism and a Masters in Public Administration, both from West Virginia University.
David Cooper, Vice President, Resources Development
David R. Cooper joined the National Trust in 2004. In his current position as Vice President for Resources Development he provides direct oversight and strategic direction for the $175 million People Saving Places: The Campaign for America's Heritage. Cooper directs all development work for the organization in the areas of Individual Giving, Planned Giving and Gifts of Heritage, Corporate and Foundation Philanthropy, Special Events and Donor Stewardship, Data and Business Management, and Research. He oversees all aspects of donor relations and travels extensively throughout the country meeting with the organization’s top donors. Prior to assuming his current position in 2006, Cooper served for two years as the Senior Director of Individual Giving in the Development office of the National Trust. He entered the field of fundraising in 1986 and has held many leadership positions in the Development offices of Loyola College, the Kennedy Krieger Institute, Peace College, the University of Maryland University College and George Mason University.
Prior to entering the development field, Cooper, as an ordained Southern Baptist minister, served in a church, and was a chaplain in a hospital. A native of North Carolina, Cooper graduated from Campbell University and received his Masters of Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Since 1997 he has been a Certified Fundraising Professional. Cooper has extensive service in his local community, having volunteered his time on the Board of Directors for PACT: Helping Children With Special Needs, Inc., in Baltimore, Maryland, the Norbel School in Pikesville, Maryland, and the Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce.
Paul W. Edmondson, Vice President, Law and General Counsel
As Vice President and General Counsel, Paul Edmondson oversees all legal services for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He directs an active program of legal advocacy and litigation in support of historic preservation, organized as the National Trust Legal Defense Fund. He also oversees the organization’s in-house corporate legal services in support of the broad range of programs and activities carried out by the National Trust, its regional offices, and historic sites. In addition, he supervises the National Trust’s preservation easement program, and the Trust’s legal education and outreach activities. As Corporate Secretary of the National Trust, Edmondson is also responsible for overseeing its bylaws, minutes, and other corporate governance matters.
Over a 20-year career at the National Trust, Edmondson has worked on a wide variety of legal issues pertaining to the protection of historic resources in the United States—including constitutional issues, federal preservation law matters, issues relating to local landmarks laws, tax incentives for preservation, and preservation easements.
With an undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Cornell University, Edmondson practiced for several years as an archaeologist before entering law school at The American University. Prior to joining the National Trust, he was a Senior Attorney for the federal government.
Dolores McDonagh, Vice President, Membership
In her role as Vice President for Membership, Dolores McDonagh is responsible for the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s efforts to attract and retain Members, whose dues and contributions provide the single largest amount of unrestricted support for our programs. In her role, McDonagh also develops programs to enhance Members’ appreciation of and advocacy for preservation, including our Partner Places and International Reciprocity program, which offer Members free or discounted admission at more than 500 historic places world-wide and our Bank of America affinity card and deposit acount programs, which allow Members to support the organization through their banking relationships and online engagement programs like our e-newsletter, Peservation Month Online Auction and our Member Gallery of Homes. In addition, she works in partnership with program staff to support Main Street organizations, historic sites and state and local preservation organizations in their efforts to grow their own ranks and fulfill the Next Trust goal of engaging 1 million people in our work.
McDonagh began her career at the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1983 as administrative assistant in the Membership Office. In 1989, she took a seven year sabbatical to become Vice President of Bachurski Associates, Inc., where served as a membership and fundraising consultant to numerous national nonprofit organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Challenger Center for Space Science Education, the American Association of University Women, the Wilderness Society, the African Wildlife Foundation, Conservation International, the University of Virginia and Brown University. She returned in 1996 to oversee the organization’s special appeals to members and the Heritage Society and in 1998 led the integration of all Membership direct response activities as part of the organization’s first comprehensive campaign, The Campaign for America’s Historic Places.
McDonagh received her Bachelor of Arts in American History from Brown University.
Lauri Michel, Vice President, Community Revitalization
Lauri Michel serves as Vice President for Community Revitalization at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Michel was most recently the National Trust’s Director of Strategic Services, developing and managing comprehensive, preservation-based initiatives in strategically selected sites.
Prior to joining the Trust, Michel was a Managing Director of KEMA Advisors, Inc., a boutique financial advisory firm providing consulting services to small and mid-size companies and the federal government. She previously owned and operated the Hillsborough House Inn, a historic bed and breakfast in Hillsborough, NC, and served as Executive Director of North Carolina Bed & Breakfast and Inns. Michel has over fifteen years of experience in commercial real estate finance, working as a lending officer for Chemical Bank and CIBC Oppenheimer in New York. She also served as Deputy Commissioner for Development at New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation & Development under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In that position, she was responsible for designing and implementing Homeworks, a disposition program for vacant, city-owned 1 – 4 family houses, and Storeworks, the companion program for vacant, mixed-use commercial buildings. Both programs won HUD’s Best Practices Award in 2002.
Michel holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley. She is the former Chair of the Town of Hillsborough, NC Tourism Board, serves on the Orange County Economic Development Commission, and is a member of the Historic Hillsborough Commission and the Hillsborough Preservation Fund.
James Vaughan, Vice President, Stewardship of Historic Sites
Jim Vaughan joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation in April 2000, as Vice President for Stewardship of Historic Sites. He is responsible for the oversight and management of the Trust’s 29 historic sites and for the department’s technical staff in the Washington office. Since joining the National Trust, Vaughan has overseen the acquisition or opening of a number of new historic sites for the National Trust which more accurately reflect the diversity of the American experience, including the Philip Johnson Glass House, Touro Synagogue, and Acoma Pueblo.
Prior to joining the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Vaughan served as Executive Director of The Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson, in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1994 through 2000. He previously served six years as Executive Director of the San Diego Historical Society. Vaughan has also served as Museum Director at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington, Delaware, a museum devoted to the industrial history of America. Still earlier, he served as the Executive Director of Strawbery Banke, Inc., an outdoor history museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, interpreting four centuries of life in a New England community.
Vaughan has been active nationally, serving two terms on the Council and as Treasurer of the American Association of State and Local History, and as Chair of its Education, Finance, Program, and Historic House Committees. He is also very active with the American Association of Museums, which he has served as a museum assessment consultant and an accreditation examiner. In 1999 he received an AAM Superior Voluntary Service Award.
Vaughan received his bachelor and master degrees from The Ohio State University and completed his doctoral exams in American History at the University of New Hampshire.
Emily E. Wadhams, Vice President, Public Policy
Emily Wadhams became the National Trust’s Vice President for Public Policy in 2004, where she oversees the organization’s advocacy efforts at the federal, state, and local level. As Vice President, Wadhams led the successful effort to bring more than $50 million in targeted Congressional funding to historic properties hit by the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She is also leading the National Trust’s initiative to demonstrate preservation’s essential role as a tool in combating climate change.
Wadhams served most recently as the State Historic Preservation Officer for Vermont. She was appointed by Governor Howard Dean to this position in 1998 and reappointed by Governor James Douglas in January 2003. Prior to her tenure as State Historic Preservation Officer, she was a consultant to non-profit and for-profit affordable housing developers rehabilitating historic buildings. Major clients included the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board and the Vermont Housing Finance Agency. Wadhams also served as a Development Coordinator for a private real estate firm in Burlington and oversaw the development and construction of a multi-family affordable housing project as well as a major downtown commercial rehabilitation project in Burlington, VT. She is a Founding Board Member of Shelburne Farms Resources and was the Director of Shelburne House (1975-1979) in Shelburne, VT.
Ms. Wadhams earned a B.A. degree in History and a M.S. degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont. Her academic and teaching credits include being an Adjunct Professor for the University of Vermont’s Historic Preservation Graduate Program, where she helped author and contributed to four publications on historic sites and architecture in Vermont. She has also received numerous awards for her work in historic preservation, including a National Trust Honor Award, Officers’ Row at For Ethan Allen, 1993 and a HUD Award for Excellence for the King Street Neighborhood Revitalization Project, 1981. Her work in historic preservation also extends through her affiliations and participation on boards, including the Preservation Trust of Vermont and Smart Growth America.
