Meet Our Fall Convening Speakers

Katlyn Cotton is the Associate Principal at PlaceEconomics. She is responsible for social media marketing and brand management, and she is the firm’s resident graphic design guru. Katlyn also contributes to data analysis, policy research, and writing in support of the firm’s city- and statewide economic impact studies, Main Street Studies, and incentives development.

One of the greatest challenges of research is dissemination–the findings of any study are only so useful as they are accessible and comprehensible. Katlyn likes to explore new ways to present and share information, be that through eye-catching design, funky infographics, or videography.

Katlyn’s research interests lie at the intersection of historic preservation and social justice – she approaches preservation through the lens of equity: “But for whom are we preserving? Who benefits?” For her, data and spatial analysis are critical tools for the ethical development of cities, as they paint powerful images of the distribution of capital, community assets, and resources through space. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Program, where she focused on preservation policy and planning. In her free time, she organizes for tenants’ rights in Washington DC and the DMV area.

Alyssa Frystak is the Director of Research and Data Analytics at PlaceEconomics. She is responsible for data acquisition and preparation, methodology development, and analysis, and is well versed in GIS, census data, municipal data, as well as various other data resources. Alyssa’s interest lies at the intersection of historic preservation, affordable housing, urban planning, and public policy and investigating ways in which these distinct, yet interconnected disciplines can be used to break down racial and socioeconomic barriers to preserve communities. Her masters thesis, “Small but Mighty: Combatting the Affordable Housing Crisis Through Small-Scale Historic Rehabilitation,” was an exploration of these interests. In it, she examined the tools, incentives, and policies that help preserve and create subsidized and unsubsidized affordable housing in designated and non-designated buildings. She holds a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she was the inaugural recipient of the Mencoff Family Fellowship in Historic Preservation, a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as a Graduate Certificate in Geospatial Analysis and Visualization. She is the former Chair of Skyline Council, Landmarks Illinois’ committee for young and emerging professionals, and a member of the Board of Directors. She also previously served as the Treasurer of the National Board of Directors for Preservation Action Foundation. Prior to entering the field, she was a professional ballet dancer, spending five seasons with the Milwaukee Ballet and Saint Louis Ballet. When not geeking out over old buildings, Alyssa, a Chicago native, can be found exploring all 77 of Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods, antiquing, collecting vinyl, taste testing all the chocolate she can find, trying not to kill her plants, or spending time with her cat, Sophie.

Christina Hingle serves as the Director of Government & External Affairs for the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), supporting the efforts of SHPOs in each of the 50 U.S. states, 5 territories, 3 freely associated states, and Washington, D.C. Her work centers on advancing national historic preservation priorities before the Legislative and Executive branches of Government and amplifying state and local preservation efforts. Christina holds a Master of Science degree in Historic Preservation from UMass Amherst and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and Criminology from the University of Southern Maine.

Megan Lydon is the Director of Development at Revolution Workshop. She has over 10 years of diverse experience in the construction sector as a preservationist, consultant, and nonprofit leader. She earned her M.S. in Historic Preservation from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2014 where she received the Graduate Fellowship Award for her thesis work in Englewood. Megan began her career in the private sector as a Historic Tax Credit Consultant for a range of large-scale redevelopment projects in Chicago and beyond. She later shifted her focus to securing local and federal funding for property owners and small businesses in Chicago’s under-resourced Far South Side communities. It was through this work that Megan became a strong advocate for equitable education surrounding trades advancement and training. This is evidenced through her various leadership roles, including co-chair of a community architectural stewardship committee and founding board chair of a local grassroots nonprofit. Megan has been working alongside RW in various capacities since the launch of their Roseland training facility in 2022, including designing and implementing new programming, building employer relationships, developing strong community partnerships, and securing private and federal funding.

Rob Naylor is the Associate Director of Preservation Action, the national grassroots lobbying organization for historic preservation. He monitors policy issues, coordinates advocacy efforts, prepares educational materials, and provides policy updates as part of Preservation Action’s Legislative Update. Every year he helps organize the National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week in Washington, D.C. He studied history and political science at Kent State University, where he was first exposed to preservation through efforts to preserve the legacy, history and physical site of the May 4th 1970 shootings. Rob has a deep love and appreciation of the history and preservation efforts in his hometown of Cincinnati, OH.

Cindy Olnick is a communications consultant for historic preservation and heritage conservation. She works with organizations nationwide to develop strategy, messaging, and content, including the 2023 Messaging Guide for Local Preservation Programs for the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions. Cindy also serves as Associate Director of Heritage Conservation at the University of Southern California, where she created a course on communicating for the built environment, manages recruiting efforts, and co-hosts the award-winning podcast, Save As: NextGen Heritage Conservation. Cindy previously created and led the communications department for the Los Angeles Conservancy, one of the nation’s leading preservation organizations. She serves on the board of the National Preservation Partners Network and chairs its communications committee. She also serves on the board of Photo Friends of the Los Angeles Library, for whom she wrote the 2017 book L.A. Landmarks: Lost and Almost Lost.

Manny Rodriguez is the Founding Executive Director at Revolution Workshop. Throughout his fifteen-year career in economic development, Manny has been an advocate for Chicago’s underserved communities. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and served for seven years as the Vice President of Economic Development for the Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing. Afterwards, was employed as the Director of Replication for the Jane Addams Resource Corporation (JARC). Currently, he is a sitting member of the Illinois Workforce Innovation Board (IWIB) and its Equity Taskforce. Manny co-founded Revolution Workshop in 2017 to provide pathways to family-sustaining careers in the South and West sides.

Shaw Sprague joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2012 and is the Vice President of Government Relations, where he oversees the organization’s federal advocacy priorities before Congress and the Administration. Shaw leads a dynamic team of advocacy professionals in support of funding for historic preservation programs, strengthening state and federal incentives that promote building reuse, and preserving the places and stories that provide meaning to our nation. Prior to his time with the National Trust, Shaw advocated for land conservation funding while working for The Trust for Public Land. For several years, Shaw worked on Capitol Hill for Senator Susan Collins as her principal advisor on National Resource, Trade, and Judiciary issues. Shaw is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, where he concentrated on environmental, municipal, and land use law.

Meet Our Preservation Easement Summit Speakers

Kelli Bacon – Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office

Kelli Bacon is the Certified Local Government / Outreach / Easement / Interim Section 106 Coordinator: Archeology for the Nebraska State Historical Society’s State Historic Preservation Office. She also serves on the board of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions and Preservation Association of Lincoln. She enjoys site visits most when she is able to talk to property owners and residents about the buildings and places they love in their communities. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, visiting historic sites and museums, and trying craft beer with her husband.

Benjamin Briggs – Preservation North Carolina

Benjamin Briggs is President and CEO of Preservation North Carolina (PNC), an 86-year-old advocacy organization that operates an Endangered Properties Program as its flagship outreach initiative. PNC maintains protective easements and covenants on more than 900 properties, including a gold mill, a water treatment plant, a gymnasium, and numerous factories, houses, and storefronts. Before coming to PNC in 2023, Benjamin served as the executive director of Preservation Greensboro, president of the High Point Preservation Society, and chair of both the Guilford County and High Point preservation commissions. He earned an undergraduate degree in Architecture and Sociology from NC State University and a Master’s Degree in Preservation Studies from Boston University, where he held an internship with ICOMOS at the Australian Heritage Commission.

Dan Everhart – Idaho State Historic Preservation Office

Dan Everhart is an architectural historian and the Interim Administrator of the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office. He is a native Idahoan and has spent over two decades studying the history and architecture of the Gem State. Professional and volunteer experience with the United States Forest Service, the Idaho Transportation Department, Preservation Idaho, and Restore Oregon have sustained his personal interests in the unique architectural legacy of the state and his understanding of the people, topography, and culture of Idaho.

Moira Nadal – Washington Trust for Historic Preservation

Moira is the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Programs Director. In this role she supports several grant programs, the Youth Heritage Project, the easement program, and the Trust’s ongoing advocacy efforts. Moira earned a BA in the Growth and Structure of Cities from Bryn Mawr College and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to joining the Washington Trust, Moira worked at the D.C. Historic Preservation Office, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office. 

Cindy Nasky – Colorado Historical Foundation

Cindy serves as the Preservation Strategist for the Colorado Historical Foundation. She holds a Master’s in Historic Preservation and an undergraduate degree in design and architecture. For nearly 20 years, she has stewarded the Foundation’s historic properties conservation easement program. As a staunch and self-proclaimed “practical preservationist,” Cindy relishes seeing historic buildings rehabilitated for use within our communities and everyday lives. 

Antonin Robert – GBX Group

As a principal and member of the executive team, Antonin Robert leads GBX Group’s advocacy, government, and community relations. Focusing on federal, state and local programs that are indispensable to the company’s real estate investments, Antonin works with the preservation community, development partners and other stakeholders to ensure continued support for the preservation and rehabilitation space. Antonin developed and led GBX’s real estate data and analysis team, which focuses on capturing industry financials and economic trends to support the company’s investments. Demonstrating the economic impact of GBX’s projects has proven critical to the company’s advocacy initiatives. Building on the community support around the country helps the company identify investments and growth opportunities.

A frequent speaker at industry events on topics related to historic preservation and its impact on economic development, Antonin serves on various boards related to community development, business improvement districts, and historic preservation. He works closely with numerous historic preservation advocacy groups around the country.

Jennifer Robinson – Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia

Jennifer is the Director of Preservation Services at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. She oversees a portfolio of 250 preservation easements, offers technical assistance to property owners, and serves as preservation consultant to the Philadelphia Fund for Black Sacred Places. Jennifer also manages several grant-funded initiatives and will soon launch a new Historic Home Repair Loan Program. A California native, Jennifer has lived in Philly since 2013, where she owns a circa-1892 home that she admittedly doesn’t have time to restore. In addition to her work at the Preservation Alliance, she chairs the Pennsylvania State Review Board for National Register nominations and serves on several boards dedicated to historic properties. She holds a Master’s in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and an undergraduate degree in Cultural Anthropology from UC Berkeley.

John Sherrer – Historic Columbia

A Columbia native, author, and historian, John Sherrer has worked at Historic Columbia since 1996. As Director of Preservation, John heads the organization’s historic preservation advocacy efforts involving related research and programming, management of a 15-property easement portfolio, and historic tax credit fee-for-service projects. John holds degrees from Clemson University (BA, MA: English) and the University of South Carolina (MA: Public History) and management certificates from McKissick Museum and the Southeastern Museum Conference’s Jekyll Island Management Institute. John has served on the boards of the Elmwood Park Neighborhood Association, Columbia Development Corporation, the Columbia Design League, and the South Carolina Federation of Museums. John is a Leadership Columbia Class of 2014 alumna and a 2023 Ambassador for ExperienceColumbiaSC.

Katie Williams – The L’Enfant Trust

Katie Williams is the Operations & Communications Manager at The L’Enfant Trust, a preservation nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. She brings more than five years of experience in strategic communications and project management, with a strong background in content strategy, digital marketing, and stakeholder engagement. Katie currently serves on the Associate Board of affordable housing developer Housing Up, as well as the Communications Committees for the National Preservation Partners Network and the Preservation Priorities Task Force. She is also a member of the DC Preservation League’s Landmarks Committee. Katie holds a B.A. in History from Bates College.