There are moments in your career that stay with you. This is one of them.

A twenty-year journey has brought me here, where I am proud to be stepping into the role of the 11th President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the largest historic preservation organization in the United States.

As the founding executive director of the National Trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, I’ve worked to help expand this field—making it more inclusive, more representative, and more connected to communities across the country. As I take the helm as CEO, that work doesn’t change, it deepens.

As our outgoing CEO Carol Quillen retires, I can’t say enough about how much her tenure helped redefine what preservation can be. She pushed our national preservation movement to tell a fuller American story and to invest in places and communities that for too long were overlooked. Thank you, Carol, for your vision and the legacy you leave behind. Because of your leadership, the National Trust is in a stronger position to do what comes next.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding, the responsibility to preserve our historic sites is even more important. I am deeply honored to help protect and uplift the legacies of all communities, ensuring the sacrifices and contributions of those who came before us are never forgotten.

At its core, preservation is about people—it’s about the places that shape us, the stories that define us, and the responsibility we have to carry our shared American story forward. The National Trust is going to keep building, keep expanding, and making sure everyone can experience the full depth of the American story through tangible connections to historic places.

I’m excited for what’s ahead. Let’s get to work.

Sincerely,

Brent Leggs
President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation