education

Master of Arts, Historic Preservation, University of Southern California (2009)

USC American Academy in China (2008)

USC School of Architecture Summer Program in Historic Preservation (2006)

Bachelor of Arts, Art History, University of California, Santa Cruz (2003)

professional history

Watson Heritage Consulting, Owner (2014 to present)

AECOM, Associate Architectural Historian (2012 - 2014)

Architectural Resources Group, Architectural Historian (2003-2012)

Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History, Collections Acquisition Intern (2002)

Awards & honors

Board of Trustees, California Preservation Foundation (elected 2022)

Paul E. Buchanan Award for Excellence in Field Work, Interpretation, and Public Service (2018)

Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation (2016)

Trustees Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation, California Preservation Foundation (2016)

National Trust for Historic Preservation Diversity Scholar (2016 / 2013)

Invited Scholar, National Park Service LGBTQ Heritage Initiative Roundtable, Washington, DC (2014)

School of Architecture Graduate Research Scholar, University of Southern California (2007-2009)

School of Architecture Commendations, University of Southern California (2007-2009)

Tau Sigma Delta, Honor Society in Architecture and Allied Arts (Life Member)

Presentations & publications

“Stonewall at 50: Defining LGBTQ Site Preservation.” Invited speaker, Columbia University, New York City, NY (April 2019)

Tenderloin Walking Tour. Tour leader, National Trust for Historic Preservation conference, San Francisco, CA (November 2018)

“Exploring the Nexus between Social Justice and Heritage Conservation.” Invited speaker, University of Southern California Heritage Conservation Anniversary Symposium, Los Angeles, CA (October 2017)

“Ruins to Redemption: Historic Preservation Committee Fund.” Invited speaker, Alice Ross Carey Memorial Lecture, San Francisco Heritage, San Francisco, CA (October 2017)

“From Mount Vernon Ladies to LGBTQ Heritage: Bringing Our Stories to the Field of Preservation.” Invited author for History Happens, GLBT Historical Society newsletter (July 2017)

“LGBTQ History in San Francisco.” Invited speaker, National Park Service, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, San Francisco, CA (June 2017)

“Special Tour: LGBTQ Historic Sites in the Tenderloin.” Tour leader, California Preservation Foundation, San Francisco, CA (June 2017)

 “LGBTQ Learning Lab.” Invited speaker, National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference, Houston, TX (November 2016)

“San Francisco: Placing LGBTQ Histories in the City by the Bay.” LGBTQ America: A Theme Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer History. National Park Service publication, October 2016.

“Razing the Bar: Tracing the Evolution of LGBTQ Enclaves in San Francisco.” Invited speaker, American Planning Association webinar (August 2016)

“Neighborhood Conservation in LGBTQ Communities.” Invited speaker, American Planning Association Conference, Seattle, WA (April 2015)

 “Crowd-Sourcing LGBTQ Historic Sites.” Speaker, California Preservation Foundation Conference, Asilomar, CA (April 2014)

Diversity Scholars Program Opening. Invited speaker, National Trust for Historic Preservation Conference, Indianapolis, IN (October 2013)

“Tenderloin Living, 1907-Today.” Tour guide, San Francisco Heritage Community Summit: Sustaining San Francisco’s Living History (June 2013)

“From Historic Preservation to Cultural Conservation: Making the Intangible Tangible.” Invited speaker, California Preservation Foundation Conference, Santa Monica, CA (May 2011)

“Summer Kitchens and Kontor Churches in Fresno.” Architecture, Ethnicity and Historic Landscapes of California’s San Joaquin Valley. (Fresno: City of Fresno Planning and Development Department, 2008)