Paul Edmondson is the National Trust’s 9th President and CEO. He has been serving as the Interim President and CEO since the departure of Stephanie Meeks at the end of 2018.

Edmondson has been with the Washington, DC-headquarted National Trust for years as its chief legal officer, leading a team renowned for their defense of historic places through Section 106 reviews, lawsuits and other actions.

“Paul championed the strong enforcement and interpretation of preservation law in campaigns ranging from the ongoing fight to remove a massive power transmission line across the James River near Jamestown, Virginia, to defending the protection of archaeological and cultural resources on public lands such as Bears Ears National Monument. He has also built the National Trust’s easement program into a national model and, in his work with National Trust Historic Sites, he has advanced new shared-use models at both Cooper-Molera Adobe and Woodlawn to ensure their sustainability as vibrant and inclusive community assets.” (from Saving Places.org)

Preservation Chicago welcomes Paul to this position. We look forward to working with him and the staff at the National Trust on national issues that impact our work in Chicago.