Without trained hands able to restore buildings – we can’t “do” preservation. It’s just that simple. Today’s guest is a true trailblazer in the preservation trades; an accomplished historic architect, accomplished tradesperson and notably, the first woman to complete the National Park Service preservation trades training program. On this week’s PreserveCast, we’re talking with Lisa Sasser about women in the trades and the future of trades training in America.

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Lisa Sasser, AIA has worked in preservation since 1972, beginning as a Museum Technician at the Ranching Heritage Center in Lubbock, Texas. In 1977, she received a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Texas Tech University. From 1979-1984 she was employed as a Historical Architect on the Northeast Team of the Denver Service Center. In 1984, she became the first woman to enter the National Park Service preservation trades training program at the Williamsport Preservation Training Center in Williamsport, Maryland. After completing the program, she remained on the Training Center staff as a Supervisory Preservation Specialist and Senior Historical Architect.

In 1993, she became the Assistant Chief Historical Architect for the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. She worked in the Northeast Region of the National Park Service as a Project Manager and Facility Management Coordinator from 1996 until her retirement from the National Park Service in August 2009. She has since worked as a consultant and instructor with the NPS Learning Development and Vanishing Treasures Programs, and as an instructor for more than 25 “Guiding Principles for Field-Based Historic Preservation” workshops in locations around the country.

In 2001, Lisa received the Askins Achievement Award, presented annually by the Preservation Trades Network for significant contributions to the preservation trades. She is a founding member and past President of the Preservation Trades Network, and a past board member and President of the Timber Framers Guild. She is a current board member of Preservation Maryland, and area representative on the board of the Maryland Historical Trust.