We are pleased to announce that Kaitlin Drisko will serve as the Conservancy’s new sole Executive Director. Kaitlin previously shared the position with Allison Sampson. Kaitlin will continue the process that the pair began in May of 2022, in close collaboration with the organization’s experienced Board, to transition the Conservancy to a professional leadership model. Together with the Board, Kaitlin will work to advance the Conservancy’s programs and initiatives focused around the City’s 150th Birthday in 2025 and the 2028 Olympics, and to energize a diverse group of constituents in historic preservation to enhance our community life together.

Kaitlin is uniquely qualified to carry on as Executive Director due to her 30 years of experience as an architect specializing in the preservation of historic buildings and sites, the professional management skills she developed as a small business owner, and her executive MBA degree from UCLA Anderson School of Management. She is a widely respected professional whose work has been recognized by the LA Conservancy, the California Preservation Foundation, the Governor of California, and the City of Claremont. Click here to learn more about Kaitlin’s background. 

Allison Sampson served as Co-Executive Director of the Conservancy with Kaitlin until this summer. Over the past year, Allison accomplished most of the goals she set out for herself, including running a successful 20th Anniversary campaign, securing several large gifts of support, and increasing our membership base. Her deep appreciation for art, music and architecture served to inspire and motivate the shared pursuit of our mission. The Conservancy has benefitted enormously from Allison’s confident and gracious leadership style, as well as the skill and experience she brought to the organization in the past year.

The Santa Monica Conservancy is the only organization dedicated to preserving historic assets and supporting responsible adaptive reuse in Santa Monica. It has served the area for more than two decades and has been a key factor in helping to create historic districts and landmarking important sites so these historic places can be appreciated by future generations.