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Press Release

April 1, 2015

Contact: Melvena Heisch
State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society
Office: 405-522-4484
mheisch@okhistory.org
www.okhistory.org/shpo

NTHP President to Speak At Preservation Conference

Oklahoma City, Okla. — One of the nation's leading preservationists, Stephanie K. Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), will present "The Future of the Past: Reconceiving Historic Preservation for the 21st Century" in the opening plenary session on June 3, 2015, forTradition and Transition: Oklahoma's 27th Annual Statewide Preservation Conference. It will be held June 3–5 in Bartlesville.

Meeks has been the president and chief executive officer of the NTHP since July 2010. Under her leadership, the organization has developed an ambitious strategic plan designed to refocus direct action on saving imperiled places, engage new audiences in preservation, and increase the organization's impact by a factor of ten. The NTHP is working to bring a more diverse and younger group of Americans into the preservation movement, and support their efforts in their communities and across the nation.  It has also launched an effort to highlight the critical connection between older buildings and vibrant cities, and spearheaded research reflecting the benefits of historic preservation in today's urban areas.

Before joining the NTHP, Meeks held several senior executive positions with the Nature Conservancy; served as director of RARE, a U.S.-based conservation group that uses social marketing to address environmental challenges in communities around the world; and currently serves as vice chair of the Board of the Potomac Conservancy. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Colorado and an MBA from George Washington University.

Full conference program and registration information will be available in late April. For more details, contact Melvena Heisch at 405-522-4484 or mheisch@okhistory.org, or visit the State Historic Preservation Office's website at www.okhistory.org/shpo/conference.htm.

The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains 31 museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.  





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