Type of Preservationist: Accidental

Kji has more than thirty years of experience in historic preservation, specializing in the rehabilitation, activation, and stewardship of significant structures. He has held positions with the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee, the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, and Duke University’s Facilities Management Department. As Executive Director of Historic Seattle since 2015, he has guided the organization’s mission-driven pursuit to save meaningful places to foster lively communities. Kji earned a BA in American Studies and Political Science from Dickinson College and holds certificates in Commercial Real Estate and Construction Management from the University of Washington. He has served on the boards of the National Preservation Partners Network and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Type of Preservationist: People

Erika grew up in an 1897 Victorian home in Connecticut, an early influence that helped shape her appreciation for historic places. After earning a bachelor’s degree in political science from McGill University in Montreal, she moved to the Seattle area in 1996. Throughout her career, Erika has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations, always in roles centered on connecting donors with missions where their support can make a meaningful impact. At Historic Seattle, she leads all fundraising and donor stewardship efforts. Outside of work, Erika enjoys cycling, running, gardening, and keeping up with the adventures of her two boys.

Type of Preservationist: People

As a fourth generation Seattleite, Jane can remember her mom talking about taking the ferry to Mercer Island and riding her bike through her great-great grandfather’s namesake park, Frink Park. But it was more her love of numbers and operations that brought her to Historic Seattle in 2016, but her appreciation for preserving the places that make this city home has grown. What started out as a bookkeeping adventure, has turned into finance, HR, operations, grant reporting, legal and insurance management, real estate portfolio planning, and more.  Never a dull moment! Sometimes called Activity Annie by her partner, she likes to bike, walk, explore, garden, travel, cook, and eat!

Type of Preservationist: Classic

David oversees Historic Seattle’s diverse portfolio of properties, bringing extensive experience in property management and development across a wide variety of assets, including office, retail, industrial, marina, multifamily, cultural venue, and community center properties. His background gives him a practical and creative perspective on adaptive reuse and the long-term stewardship of historic buildings. Before joining Historic Seattle, David served as a senior manager at West & Wheeler, a private real estate investment, development, and property management firm based in Seattle. He holds an M.A. in Economics from the Mises Graduate School.

Type of Preservationist: Vocal

Eugenia parlayed a lifelong interest in architecture, history, cities, and communities into a career in historic preservation. As Historic Seattle’s Director of Preservation Services since 2009, she leads the organization’s advocacy efforts by developing and implementing preservation policies and initiatives; providing technical assistance; engaging in community outreach; and coordinating broad advocacy efforts. Eugenia is past president of 4Culture’s Board of Directors; served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; and is a co-founder and President of Docomomo US/WEWA. She has a BA in Political Science from UC Berkeley and a Master in Urban Planning and Preservation Planning Certificate from the University of Washington.  

Type of Preservationist: Vocal

Originally from California, Daniel first came to Seattle to study at Seattle Pacific University where he fell in love with all things local history. From urban hikes to artifact investigations Daniel loves preserving history through programs large and small. Since his time at SPU Daniel has worked for a variety of cultural organizations around town including the Museum of History and Industry. Outside of work Dainel spends his time making zines, taking photos, playing Tabletop Role Playing Games with his friends, and playing with his dog Little Buddy. Daniel holds a BA in History from SPU and an MA in Museum studies from Johns Hopkins University.

Type of Preservationist: Green

Lauren is most drawn to the places where historic buildings meet historic landscapes. As Historic Seattle's Accounting and Finance Manager, she brings years of dedication to keeping the organization's finances clear and intentional. Over the years, she has grown her role from bookkeeper to include more financial analysis, developing a cash flow budgeting system that reflects her love of systems thinking. Born in Seattle, she graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Environmental Science and Entrepreneurship. These days, Lauren works remotely from Costa Rica, where she built her own home and small reforestation project by the beach.

Type of Preservationist: People

Robin Harris is the Facilities Maintenance Manager at Historic Seattle, where he brings a thoughtful, people-centered approach to his work with contractors and tenants. With 13 years of experience in hospitality, Robin developed a strong foundation in communication, service, and problem-solving skills he now applies to building productive relationships and creating positive experiences in the preservation space. Since joining Historic Seattle in 2022, he has embraced the transition into historic preservation and is passionate about supporting the stewardship and continued relevance of Seattle’s historic properties.

Type of Preservationist: Accidental

As Historic Seattle’s Preservation Advocacy Manager, Jeff strives to bring to life and preserve our shared histories embodied in the historic built environment. He also manages Historic Seattle’s preservation easement program. Before pivoting to architecture, Jeff spent 20 years in the aerospace industry. After relocating to Seattle, he earned both a Master of Architecture and an MS in Architectural History and Theory from the University of Washington. He has since shaped local preservation efforts on the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board and King County Landmarks Commission. When not advocating for places that matter, Jeff recharges at his 1950s summer cabin on Whidbey Island, exploring the shores of Useless Bay with his dog, Daisy.

Type of Preservationist: Classic

Matt has been at the Good Shepherd Center for over two decades with the last 15 years as the operations manager. His role includes a variety of responsibilities to keep the building running smoothly and to ensure it’s a safe and enjoyable place for the many building tenants, their visitors, and other users of the building. In addition to the day-to-day tasks, Matt manages varying improvement projects that are needed at the building, with each one of those requiring a high degree of logistics to accommodate all the activity at the building. Matt enjoys bicycling, motorcycling, and road trips throughout Eastern Oregon and parts of Washington state.

Type of Preservationist: Green

Megan moved to the northwest in 2019 and immediately fell in love with the surrounding nature. As Horticulture Manager, she has been able to apply her love for plants and animals in a way that serves the Seattle community by fostering connections to the landscape. Maintaining the historic integrity of the grounds while moving towards sustainable and environmentally friendly practices is her central focus. She has a Bachelor’s in Plant Sciences with 15 years of experience ranging from agriculture research at the University of Missouri to managing 32,000 sf of greenhouses and tropical/temperate conservatories at a botanical garden.

Type of Preservationist: Classic

Evan’s passion for historic preservation was sparked in college and cemented during his 2014–2015 term on the Pioneer Square Preservation Board. Although his professional career advanced in the environmental sustainability sector, he always hoped to return to working with and protecting old buildings. That opportunity came in 2022, when Evan joined the Historic Seattle team as Engagement Coordinator. After serving in several roles within the organization—most recently as Community Programs Manager—he now enjoys getting his hands dirty as a facilities maintenance technician. Outside of work, Evan embraces his love of all things vintage by repairing and riding vintage motorcycles.

Type of Preservationist: Accidental

In true nonprofit fashion, Olivia supports a wide range of operational, creative, and program-related work. Born and raised in Seattle, her appreciation for historic preservation, architecture, and the fine arts has been a central part of her life. She earned a Fine Arts degree from Gonzaga University and continues to practice her creativity through the graphic design work she produces for the organization. She also manages social media and content creation, office administration, coordinates program logistics, Historic Seattle’s Council, plays a key part in the annual Preservation Celebration, and takes on many other duties as assigned.

Type of Preservationist: Accidental

Sarah brings to her role as Landmarks Program Lead a lifelong interest in the built environment and place-based history. Her work focuses on the City’s Landmarks Program and includes outreach and education, as well as working with property owners to produce nominations for Seattle properties. She has experience in the public sector and as a consultant, helping others navigate cultural resource programs in several states and municipalities. Sarah holds degrees in history and public history from the University of Kansas and Middle Tennessee State University. Her term as Landmarks Program Lead runs through 2028 and is supported by a generous grant from 4Culture and individual donors to Historic Seattle.

Type of Preservationist: Green

Stacey came to horticulture with a background in product and project development and service in the military, bringing a collaborative and detail-oriented approach to her work. She holds a BA in Journalism & Communications and an AAS in Environmental Horticulture, and is a Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH) and certified Master Pruner. Through hands-on work in historic gardens, she contributes to plant selection, layout development, seasonal maintenance, and long-term care planning. Her work focuses on creating lasting landscapes rooted in strong horticultural practice and thoughtful, intentional design.

Type of Preservationist: People

After over a decade working in Senior Living software consulting, Michelle earned a Master of Urban Planning and graduate certificates in Historic Preservation and Disability Studies from the University of Washington. With a curiosity about urban history and passion for community building, she is supporting the Real Estate team in rolling out their Computerized Maintenance Management System while gaining real world experience in the systemization of preservation data.