Preservation Dallas’ headquarters on Swiss Avenue. Photo by Renee Umsted.
Preservation Dallas, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and revitalizing our city’s historical buildings, named a new executive director.
Nonprofit leader and historian Carolyn Howard is taking the position, replacing David Preziosi, who left Preservation Dallas in June 2022 to become executive director of the Texas Historical Foundation. Preziosi had been at Preservation Dallas for nearly a decade.
Howard has 30 years of experience leading historic main streets programs in Texas and Oklahoma, revitalizing central business districts and adjacent neighborhoods in Texas cities including Lewisville and Beaumont.
She’s also skilled at fundraising and grant-writing; planning and managing programs; and coordinating with government, community groups and financial institutions.
“As Preservation Dallas continues to evolve, the organization needs a unique blending of skills to lead us through the coming challenges and opportunities,” Norman Alston, president of Preservation Dallas, said in a statement. “We are excited to have found those skills in Carolyn and are confident that she can further establish a culture of preservation that Dallas needs.”
Preservation Dallas, which is headquartered at the Wilson House on Swiss Avenue, was founded in 1972 as the Historic Preservation League.
Each year, the organization hosts events including a home tour and presents the Preservation Achievement Awards. This year marked the 50th anniversary of the home tour and featured several East Dallas properties. A home in Junius Heights received a Residential Renovation and Adaptive Reuse award at the 24th annual Preservation Achievement Awards in mid-May.
