The 25 -Vin Cipolla

Historic New England President and CEO Vin Cipolla has served in key leadership roles across numerous organizations, including the National Park Foundation, The Municipal Art Society of New York, David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Cipolla, who has had a lifelong interest in the principles and tools of historic preservation, has been at the forefront of protecting and sustaining our cultural fabric.

He took over the helm of Historic New England, America’s oldest, largest, and most comprehensive independent historic preservation organization, in 2020.

The organization welcomes the public to 38 exceptional museums and landscapes, operates a major collections center in Haverhill, Massachusetts, and offers educational programs for youth, adults, and preservation professionals.

Its Preservation Easement Program, which protects 125 privately owned historic properties throughout the region, is considered a national leader.

“Sustainability, resilience, livability, and adaptive-reuse strategies are hugely effective, interconnected approaches that foster and impact revitalization for the future, and Historic New England is at the forefront of this kind of integrated thinking,” Cipolla says.

He points to the organization’s plan to create a vibrant, mixed-use cultural district in the heart of downtown Haverhill that includes a welcome center on the first floor of its Burgess Building.

“We hope to draw new visitors and revenue to the area, thus strengthening the community’s businesses, arts, environmental and social institutions,” he says.

Another important initiative started under Cipolla’s tenure is Recovering New England’s Voices. Since 2021, scholars have uncovered over 580 previously unknown stories of those who lived and worked at the organization’s sites, expanding and enriching the understanding of New England’s past and providing an opportunity to share these new stories.

Historic New England’s Summit, which Cipolla started, brings together thought leaders who explore how preservation, arts, culture, education, advocacy, and more work to support livability.

“The summit is a way to change how historic preservation is perceived—it is not just about buildings but about the entire community,” he says. “I am thrilled to be a part of this movement, and I really do believe that preservation is the way forward. We need to appreciate what we have to build an enduring future.”