Professional Experience
HISTORIC PRESERVATION:
Resurrecture LLC, New York, NY June 2023-Present
Historic Preservation Specialist
Manage and implement the gilding of the fleur-de-lis finials on the historic perimeter fencing at Bryant Park.
Mitchell Giurgola Architects October 2020-November 2021
Historic Preservation Specialist
Worked with a team of architects during the design manual and construction document phase of a restoration project for a 1921 McKim, Mead & White Building. The restoration of the building envelope included stone restoration and reinstating of windows and doors that match the appearance and scale of the original.
Research: Researched window types and material for historic window replication. Liaised with manufacturers to determine methods and materials, budget proposals, and drawing submittals.
Drawing: Produced stone repair detail drawings in AutoCAD in collaboration with the architectural conservation consultant.
Reports: Wrote reports for the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) on the proposed work for the building restoration. The reports included project intent, proposed methods and materials, photographic documentation, and drawings and renderings.
Conducted punch list review for an ongoing façade project which included review of window installation, granite watertable, sidewalk, curbs and pavers, as well as lighting installation.
Integrated Conservation Contracting New York, NY October 2019
Architectural Conservator, Consultant
New York Public Library Lions (Patience and Fortitude): Conducted in-situ conservation treatments including the removal of previous crack repairs and fills, and implementation of new crack repairs, grouting, and patches to match the cleaned stone.
Integrated Conservation Resources, New York, NY May 2008 – August 2013
Architectural Conservator
Worked independently as well as on a team with conservators, architects and engineers to develop treatment recommendations for historic buildings. Specialized in site testing and implementation of conservation treatments on stone, concrete, brick, and painted or decorative surfaces.
In-Situ and Laboratory Testing: Extensive experience conducting cleaning tests (chemical and non-chemical), stain removal, paint removal, mortar analysis and replication, and finishes analysis.
Conditions Assessment: Conducted conditions assessments from scaffolds and swing stages on residential, commercial and institutional buildings to determine the extent of necessary repairs and appropriate treatments. Select projects include the United Nations, Trinity Church, St. Paul’s Chapel in New York.
Research: Conducted archival research to inform the conservation approach to various projects including The Montgomery Monument at St. Paul’s Chapel. This research provided clues about the original appearance and informed the preservation efforts in terms of how far to take conservation treatments to honor the original appearance of the monument while respecting the visual effects of age.
Reports and Documentation: Completed project reports for submittal to client that included details on the work completed, methods and materials tested, lab findings, and recommendations for next steps, and documentation of conditions found on site. When requested archival research information was provided.
Evergreene Architectural Arts 2004-2005
Decorative Painter/ Conservation Technician
Participated in restoration projects in historic buildings which included mural painting and conservation, and decorative finishes including glazing and gilding.
Historic Finishes Conservation: Repaired damaged original stencil in the Cass Gilbert designed Essex County Court House in Newark, NJ. The replicated painted stencil successfully matched the surviving work, restoring the ceiling to original appearance. Cleaned original gilding on ornamental plaster.
Decorative Painting & Restoration: Completed glazing, marbelizing, and mural conservation during the full interior restoration of a 1930 movie palace in New York.
Curation & Marketing:
Guevara’s, Brooklyn, NY May 2022-Present
Buyer and Manager
Curate and source beautiful, products for brick-and-mortar storefront including plants, home goods, confections, and vegan specialty items.
Merchandising & Visual Display: Create visual displays of merchandise around themes and colors that are seasonally relevant and support the brand aesthetic. Attend trade shows and research brands and products that are relevant to the customer base and elevate the brand and mission.
Management: Lead and support the front of house staff, provide regular feedback and coaching, create an open and supportive work environment
Planning & Strategy: Utilize sales reports and customer feedback to determine what products to buy and where to place them. Plan product assortment for key holidays and seasonal displays.
Future of Intentional Living-FOIL Group, New York, NY June 2020-October 2020
Lead Researcher & Editor
Worked on a research project that examined the history of intentional communities through the lens of art and architecture. The intent of the research was to inform new ideas around
the future of intentional living in terms of the environmental impact, real estate opportunities, and the visual language of successful communal spaces.
eBay, New York, NY August 2013 – March 2019
Social Media Manager (2018 – 2019)
Managed the content creators for eBay’s Facebook and Instagram channels, setting the creative direction and collaborating with the photo team on capturing content for social posts.
Increased engagement rate by pivoting from the “polished & promotional” strategy for Instagram to environmental shots, UGC content and product listing imagery. Socially
native imagery resonated with target audience.
Worked closely with the social listening team to surface trends and culturally relevant topics through the eBay lens resulting in high engagement.
Collaborated with writers and designers on the seasonal style guides. Participated in campaign concepting and provided imagery direction for the designers.
Head Curator (2013 - 2018)
Promoted to head curator of eBay’s newly-established curation team when Bureau of Trade was acquired by eBay. Led a team of curators to create daily editorial collections to inspire users and create an environment of discovery and community around merchandise. Using beautiful presentation and visual storytelling, these collections became the leading shopping and inspiration destination on the site and surfaced the best of what eBay had to offer.
Launched “eBay Collections”: Curated first collections for launch of new feature which became the premiere home page experience for 3 years. Worked with PR & influencer teams to publish celebrity & influencer-curated collections.
New App: Led editorial direction including design and curation to introduce users to the new eBay. Worked with product team to launch app featuring collections at top of the home page and all the category landing pages.
Cross functional collaboration: Increased engagement and sales and promoted eBay events by working with teams in marketing, merchandising, PR, and charity to bring campaigns (seasonal sales, tv commercials, brand collaborations, charity auctions and influencer partnerships) to life on the home page.
Personalization: Created and managed content for pilot program around user’s key passion areas: Sneakers, Motorcycles, Music, Photography and Comics. Included short-form storytelling, curated products, trends/topics, and influencer input. Exceeded pilot program’s initial goals and contributed to the site-wide personalization effort.
Strategy: Increased engagement and click through rates by pivoting strategy and copy style, to be more direct and category-focused.
Metrics: Created metrics reports to share performance data and recommended ways to optimize engagement potential; resulted in refocusing of efforts around categories/topics that resonated with core customers/fan base.
Product Collaboration: Worked with product team to combine human curation and algorithms to evolve Collections experience into a scalable program. Increased efficiency while maintaining visual integrity and quality of work.
Bureau of Trade, San Francisco, CA November 2011 – August 2013
Curator
Hired as a curator for this content and commerce startup that offered a shopping and discovery experience for men by leveraging original editorial and expert curation of rare and interesting products, many of which were from eBay. Sourced unique merchandise including clothes, timepieces, furniture and accessories, around daily themes including historic references, news stories, trends, and brand spotlights and presented them in cohesive visual collections.
Created a visual style for the daily collections that served as a guide for other curators and established the Bureau's collections as a visual tool for promoting brands, product listings, and increasing sales.
Established the Bureau as a reputable source for rare and unique items with an authentic history and provenance; this was a result of rigorous research and quest for finding captivating and authentic pieces.
Additional Experience
Nancy Lorenz Studio, New York, NY 2001 – 2004
Artist’s Assistant - Executed panel paintings and commissioned installations under the artists direction which incorporated the use of ancient Japanese craft techniques including water gilding, mother of pearl inlay and lacquer.
Completed all phases of the work from preparation of raw materials through final varnish and buffing.
Oversaw numerous projects, maintained a heightened level of attention to detail and quality control, resulting in consistent, burnished surfaces, trained other assistants in the crafts of gilding and mother of pearl inlay.
Education
Master of Science in Historic Preservation, University of Pennsylvania, School of Design Philadelphia, PA 2007
Advanced Certificate in Architectural Conservation: Conservation of the Terrazzo Floor Map in Philip Johnson’s New York State Pavilion at the 1964-65 World’s Fair. 2008
Bachelor of Fine Art, Sarah Lawrence College, Bronxville, NY. Concentration in painting, drawing and art history. 2000