Steven L. McClain
President

Steven McClain is the co-founder and president of the Trust for Architectural Easements. His duties include working with the Trust’s Board of Directors to develop policy and programs. He coordinates overall management of the Trust’s staff and reviews work of independent contractors to implement the Trust’s initiatives. He is responsible for government relations and the stewardship fund.

Mr. McClain received a B.A. in philosophy with general honors from the University of Georgia. He received a M.A. in political science from the University of Massachusetts and completed the course work for a Ph.D. in political science at the University of Massachusetts.

Mr. McClain is the author of Federal Tax Incentives for Historic Preservation and has written articles about preservation and related topics for the Washington Business Journal, the Journal of Financial Planning and other publications. He has also given numerous speeches, seminars and workshops in different cities about tax advantaged conservation for historic buildings.

Prior to coming to the Trust, Mr. McClain was Senior Partner at McClain-Dewey Real Estate, Inc. He managed real estate brokers and agents. The company provided real estate marketing, management, and development services to private clients, foreign governments and the U.S. Government. Mr. McClain was responsible for directing the firm’s rehabilitation and restoration of historic properties in the Washington DC area.

Mr. McClain’s professional affiliations include memberships in the Society of Architectural Historians, The Institute of Classical Architecture, National Trust for Historic Preservation, National Eagle Scout Association, and the National Association of Realtors.

Mr. McClain’s involvement in community service organizations include the following: member of the Corporate Committee of the Lab School of Washington; Member of the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation; Founder of the Triangle Park Association, a neighborhood beautification organization; Founding sponsor of the Washington National Cathedral Center for Pilgrimage and Prayer; Volunteer for Martha’s Table, providing food and shelter for homeless children; Volunteer for March of Dimes National Campaign; and Assistant Scout Master for Boy Scouts of America.

Victoria C. McCormick
Vice President

Vickie McCormick is the Vice President of the Trust. She has provided leadership in the Trust’s efforts to implement best practices in operational and administrative functions. With extensive experience in not-for-profit operations and strategic planning, Vickie ensures that the Trust engages in continuous improvement efforts that keep the Trust firmly focused on its mission of encouraging voluntary preservation of America’s historic architecture.

Prior to joining the Trust, Vickie served for twelve years as the Director of Finance for the American Chemical Society providing support to the board of directors and governance committees on strategic planning and financial matters, and overseeing the finance and accounting functions. Vickie also worked for seven years as an auditor with Deloitte & Touche in Washington, D.C., serving not-for-profit, government contractor and financial services clients.

Vickie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Virginia Tech. She serves on the board of N Street Village, a Washington, D.C.-based social services organization that empowers homeless and low-income women to claim their highest quality of life, and on board committees of the Gordon Research Conferences, a Rhode Island-based organization that sponsors scientific conferences for the advancement and promotion of scientific knowledge.

Heather E. Massler
Director of Operations and Stewardship

Heather Massler is the Trust’s Director of Operations and Stewardship, overseeing the donation and stewardship of easements, as well as the Trust’s National Register and grants programs. Prior to joining the Trust in 2004, Heather received her M.Ar.H. and a certificate in historic preservation from the University of Virginia. She received an A.B. in history from the University of Chicago. Coming to architectural history by way of many Gilded Age historic house tours and trips to Colonial Williamsburg during childhood, she changed directions at Virginia, focusing on American modernism. Her thesis explored the architectural production of Reynolds Metals Company, including the construction of its Richmond headquarters and promotion of aluminum as a modern building material. She is a member of the Association for Preservation Technology, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Action, and the Society of Architectural Historians.

Gabriel D. Seiden
Director of Marketing and Information Technology

Gabe Seiden is the Trust’s Director of Marketing and Information Technology, balancing two disciplines that are increasingly related. Gabe oversees the Trust’s communications strategy, marketing, promotion and media planning. He is publication manager for the Columns newsletter, website editor, and in-house photographer. Gabe is also in charge of IT strategy, database maintenance, and network administration. Prior to joining the Trust in 2005, Gabe was a Municipal Development Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. He received an M.B.A. in Marketing and IT Management from American University’s Kogod School of Business and a B.A. in English and East Asian Studies from Oberlin College.

Laura L. Thornton
Director of Education

Laura L. Thornton is the Director of Education for the Trust. A graduate of Wellesley College, Laura came to the Trust in 2004 after receiving her M.Ar.H. from the University of Virginia. As Director of Education, Laura visits elementary school classrooms to teach children about the built environment, and leads tours and workshops for all ages to learn about architecture and historic preservation. Laura is also the editor of the Trust’s newsletter, Columns. Laura’s interest in historic buildings dates back to her childhood. A native of Massachusetts, Laura grew up in a Civil War-era house flanked by houses of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Now, Laura enjoys the more “recent” architecture of Washington, D.C.

Jennifer L. Brennan
Operations Manager

Jennifer Brennan is the Operations Manager for the donation of easements in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Virginia. Additionally, she works on the Trust’s National Register and Grant Programs. Jennifer graduated from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, with an M.A. in history with a concentration in historic preservation and museum studies. Jennifer fell in love with historic architecture while attending the College of Charleston in South Carolina, receiving a B.A. in history and a B.A. in historic preservation. Jennifer is a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation as well as Preservation North Carolina.

Dianne E. Pierce
Operations Assistant

Dianne Pierce is the Operations Assistant for the Trust. She recently graduated from Boston University with a B.A. in history with distinction. Her senior thesis was on the urban design and architectural development of Paris and the displacement of its working class during Haussmann’s renovations of the nineteenth century. Prior to joining the Trust, Dianne interned at the National Endowment for the Humanities in D.C., BU’s Brownstone Journal, the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of NY, the NY Public Library, and L’Association pour des Études sur la Résistance Intérieure in Paris, France.

Jackie A. Scheer
Operations Manager

Jackie Scheer is the Operations Manager for the donation of easements in New York and New Jersey. She received her A.S. degree from Utah Valley State College. A native of Illinois, Jackie enjoys the rich architectural heritage that the Washington, D.C., area offers. Since joining the Trust in 2006, she has developed an appreciation for historic buildings and different styles of architecture.

Lindsey M. Wallace
Donor Relations Assistant

Lindsey Wallace is the Trust's Donor Relations Assistant. She joined the Trust after completing her M.A. in historic preservation planning at Cornell University in May of 2008. Her thesis explored the rehabilitation of a mid-nineteenth century woolen mill for use as the new museum of the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Lindsey attended The Ohio State University in Columbus, graduating with a B.A. in history. She enjoys living in Washington, D.C., as the city continuously offers information and experiences in relation to her various interests in history, community, sustainability, culture, and architecture.