Where are you from?
I am originally from Tewksbury, Massachusetts
Where did you attend school? Share with us the city/town, what you are majoring in, and what your academic interests are?
I attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in History. As part of master’s degree program, I also received a Public History Certificate at UMass as well as a Historic Preservation Certificate from the Boston Architectural College. At both institutions, I focused on modern United States urban and environmental history, historic preservation planning, and cultural landscapes studies. Through courses and independent research projects, I studied and documented the history of academic brutalism on the UMass campus and on Hampshire College nearby, as well as the landscape histories of regional park sites such as World’s End in Hingham.
What are your career goals?
Between my undergraduate and graduate careers, I worked as an Architectural Historian for McGinley, Kalsow, and Associates, a preservation architecture firm in Somerville, MA. My time at MKA gave me a real taste of the work I would like to continue doing following my time with the Park Service – studying and documenting historic landscapes and sites to plan for their continued care and interpretation. I am particularly interested in working with sites threatened by climate change as well as Brutalist and Modernist structures which are increasingly under threat from demolition and/or incompatible development.
Outside of school and work what are your hobbies and/or interests?
When not reading or writing, I still find ways to get involved in public history and historic preservation! Currently, I sit on the New Professional and Student Committee with the National Council on Public History and will also begin serving as a Young Advisor with the Boston Preservation Alliance this summer. Outside of my advocacy work, I enjoy hiking, kayaking, and being outdoors with friends and family. With the summer weather, I’m looking forward to exploring the architectural and natural gems of the Boston region. While I’ve lived in Massachusetts my entire life, there is always something new to stumble upon!
What is your internship project focus? Explain what you will be doing, which parks/partners will you be working with? Who is your mentor at the Olmsted Center?
Working with my mentor Senior Project Manager Elliot Foulds, I will be completing a Cultural Landscape Report, Record of Treatment for the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site (FRLA). Collaborating with FRLA staff and partners, I’ll build off of previously completed documentation efforts to construct a comprehensive analysis of the treatment work conducted at the Olmsted site over the past twenty years, detailing lessons learned, strategies to alter in the future, and restoration work still needed.
Why did you choose to participate in a Designing the Parks Internship? How is your internship hosted?
I’ve had an interest in the Designing the Parks internship program for several years now and could not be more excited to finally have the opportunity to be part of it! Hosted by the National Council for Preservation Education, I chose to be part of the Designing the Parks program because it seemed like an incredible post-graduate opportunity that would allow me to continue growing as a preservation professional.
What are you looking forward to learning or exploring during your internship?
I am looking forward to diving into the professional development programming that’s part of the internship program and connecting with NPS professionals from across the country to learn more about their background and work. Most of all, I’m excited to work on a project that will have a demonstrable impact on the care of historic site within the NPS system.
What types of opportunities will Designing the Parks provide you with?
My associateship through Designing the Parks will provide me with hands-on knowledge and skills of working at a historic site within the NPS system as well as with park service staff and partners. I’m excited to gain further experience in documentation and preservation planning, and get to know more about the career opportunities within and outside of NPS that I might be able to pursue following my tenure at the Olmsted Center.
Designing the Parks 