Staff
Rebecca Miller, is the Executive Director of the DC Preservation League. She holds a B.A. in History and a Master’s in Business Administration and has been with DCPL since 2003. In addition to supervising the day-to-day operations of DCPL, Rebecca represents the organization as a consulting party on Section 106 issues such as the consolidation of the Department of Homeland Security at the National Historic Landmark St. Elizabeths Hospital West Campus, Union Station, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She has also successfully advocated for funding for the restoration of the DC World War I Memorial on the National Mall, and led the organization in pursuing the protection of dozens of individual landmarks and historic districts throughout Washington. Rebecca frequently provides testimony on behalf of DCPL on historic preservation issues before the DC Council, the DC Historic Preservation Review Board, the Commission on Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission. She also serves as a juror for the annual District of Columbia Awards for Excellence in Historic Preservation.
Kelli Knox, DC Preservation League’s Director of Development oversees partnerships with individual donors and foundations, and helps promote membership at all levels. Prior to joining DCPL in August 2016, Kelli worked for eight years as Deputy Director of Development at the Center for Science in the Public Interest—a public health organization that works to promote a safe, healthy food supply. She’s also worked at the National Endowment for the Arts and The Choral Arts Society of Washington. Kelli holds a Bachelor of Music (Vocal Performance) from James Madison University and a Master of Arts (Arts Administration) from The Florida State University.
Jacqueline Drayer is the DC Preservation League’s Community Outreach and Grants Manager. She shepherds landmark nominations through the designation process, engages local communities in preservation iniatives, and administers DCPL’s grant programs. Previously Jacqueline developed exhibits at the Woodrow Wilson House and volunteered at museums and preservation institutions such as the National Building Museum. She was a Fulbright Research Fellow in Belgium, where she researched, wrote, and photographed a book about the cultural and economic benefits of adaptive reuse. Jacqueline holds a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from George Washington University, where she is now completing a Master of Arts in American Studies/Historic Preservation.
Elizabeth Gonzalez is the 2017 Student Fellow from American University. She is completing her final year of the Public History Master’s Program at American University. She earned her B.A. in American History from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Elizabeth interned in the Education Department at the National Postal Museum this past summer. She also currently works at the American University Office of Graduate Studies. Elizabeth will be primarily working on app development– DC Historic Sites.
Lizzie Mekonnen will be working with the DC Preservation League as an intern this semester. This past May, she completed her B.A. in History from the College of William and Mary. While at W&M, she secured an internship with the United States Forest Service through the Student Conservation Association (SCA). While with the Forest Service, she conducted historical research on minorities groups on the national forests and came up with solutions to institutionalize inclusiveness into their national heritage program. She also did promotion work for the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. Additionally while at W&M, she interned with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s architectural preservation team, where she conducted architectural research and worked on a paint samples project. This past summer, she participated in the National Park Service Academy as an SCA AmeriCorps intern at Grand Teton National Park. She served as a ranger-naturalist in the Colter Bay District. She plans on attending graduate school in the near future to get her masters in Historic Preservation.