Mae is a 36 CFR 61 qualified architectural historian and the sole-proprietor of an historic preservation consulting firm out of Meredith, NH.  Mae began working as an independent preservation consultant while she finished her Master’s degree in Historic Preservation from Plymouth State University and has completed successful preservation projects across the State of New Hampshire. Over the past ten years, Mae has gained a wide variety of experience in all aspects of historic preservation.  With a strong background in architectural history and architecture, Mae is particularly qualified in assisting with developing long-term planning for historic buildings that is in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards.  Her various historic building studies have been consistently used as part of successful fundraising efforts, and she has worked well as a consulting party with diverse architectural, engineering, and historic preservation contracting firms.  Mae has worked with municipalities, non-profits and preservation advocates across the State, including the NH Division of Historical Resources, NH Preservation Alliance, and NH Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), various historical societies, heritage commissions, and land conservation groups.

Education

Plymouth State University, Plymouth, NH

Masters of Arts in Historic Preservation, December 2014

Bard College, Annandale, NY

Bachelors of Arts in Medieval Studies in Art History
Thesis: From Dragon Myth to the Gospels: The Stave Church at Uvdal

Saint Paul's School, Concord, NH

High School Diploma, Distinction in Arts

Professional Experience

Independent Historic Preservation Consultant, Meredith, NH

January 2014-present

Proven record of working with clients and other interested parties to develop long-term planning documents for a variety of historic resources across the state including Historic Structures Reports, Historic Building Assessments with Preservation Guidelines, and Building Condition Assessments and developing building recommendations that balance historic preservation and accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards with the individual needs of the client and long-term use for the resource.  Through this process, I have worked with a variety of architects, preservation contractors, and engineers and developed a very strong working relationship with state-wide preservation advocacy groups.

Successfully nominated variant property types to both the National Register of Historic Places and the NH State Register of Historic Places.  Experience working with the NH State Survey program and doing baseline documentation for a variety of survey and inventory-type projects from Section 106-related projects to helping interested homeowners discover more about the history of their home.

Engaged in larger regional studies for several NH communities, particularly in conjunction with federal grants including the Certified Local Government Program.  These larger studies have included town-wide surveys, surveying and researching the development of a particular village and assessing it for potential National Register-eligibility, revisiting and updating earlier survey efforts, assistance with developing Town master-planning documents, and studies of particular building types within a defined area.

Program Assistant, NH Division of Historical Resources, Concord, NH

2008-2010

Reorganized Town File storage system by developing new filing system, reducing redundancies, taking files to archives, and assisting with public inquiries by redirecting questions to appropriate parties.

Independent Museum Consultant, Meredith, NH

February 2006-July 2007

Trained staff and volunteers at area Historical Societies in the use of Past Perfect 4.0 museum cataloging software.  Set up accession records for museum collections in database form for Center Harbor Historical Society, the Belknap Mill, Laconia Historical Society, and Laconia Public Library and streamlined database utilities for Sandwich and Center Harbor.

Curatorial Assistant, Canterbury Shaker Village, Inc., Canterbury, NH

May 2005-February 2007

Curatorial Assistant for the IMLS Digitization Project to scan and digitally catalogue 8,000 historic photographs utilizing Past Perfect Museum Software.  Responsible for overseeing and coordinating volunteer efforts, identifying people, places, pets, and events through the creation of research packets.  Assisted in the creation of online exhibits by researching historic themes and selecting images and artifacts for exhibits.  Assisting in the cataloging of objects and archives for a 2007 exhibit on twentieth-century Shaker life at the culmination of the grant-funded position.

Community Engagement

• Member, Castle Restoration Committee, Castle in the Clouds, 2024-present
• Chair, Center Harbor Cemetery Trustees, 2022-present.
• Director, Squam Archives Center, September 2016-2023.
• Member, Squam National Register Archive Committee, Feb 2012-August 2016.
• New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food Commissioner's Designee, New Hampshire Historic Agricultural Structures Advisory Committee (Barn Committee), 2010-July 2012.
• Secretary, New Hampshire Historical Resources Council, 2008-2010.

Professional Development & Speaking Engagements

• Co-Presenter, “Researching Your Old House” with Andrew Cushing of the NH Preservation Alliance, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance Online Expo, July 2021 and Old House & Barn Expo, March 2024.
• Presenter, "Virtual Tour of Sanbornton Square Historic District", June 2022, Sanbornton Historic District Commission
• Panelist, “Know Your Building – The Importance of Historic Building Assessments”, January 2021, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance
• Presenter, “Jewel on the Hill: The Charles E. Tilton Mansion,” March 2020, Tilton Historical Society
• Presenter, “Why Preservation Matters,” March 2019, Belknap Mill Society Annual Meeting
• Participant, “Out of the Ordinary: Variations on New England Building Practices," July 2018, Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, MA
• Co-Presenter, “The Cultural Landscape: A Museum of Local History" with Dr. James L. Garvin, June 2018, Town of Meredith 250th Celebration
• Co-Presenter, “House Histories: How to Research the Evolution of Your House" with Andrew Cushing, March 2018, New Hampshire Preservation Alliance Old House & Barn Expo
• Presenter, “The Swasey Canal: How One Man's Vision Shaped the Economy of Meredith," February 2018, Greater Meredith Program Annual Meeting
• Participant, “Before the 2X4: New England Framing Options to the Mid-19th Century," July 2017, Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, MA
• Panelist, “Before Disaster Strikes: Planning for Historic Properties," April 2017, NH Preservation Alliance Conference: Preserving Community Character: Critical Issues and Opportunities
• Participant, “Buildings Archaeology: An Integrated Approach to Understanding Historic Structures," July 2016, Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, MA
• Presenter, “Newington Town Wide Mapping Project,” Fall 2015 for the Newington, New Hampshire Historic District Commission as part of a Certified Local Government Grant Project
• Presenter, “Jaffrey Meetinghouse Historic Property Documentation,” Fall 2015 for the Town of Jaffrey, New Hampshire as part of a Certified Local Government Grant Project
• Presenter, “Is there a Sustainable Future for the Laconia State School” at the 2013 Preservation Alliance Conference: Historic Buildings for the Next Century: Preservation's Role in Building a Sustainable Future. One of five graduate historic preservation student projects featured at the conference.