Preservation Perspective
Fall 1997
Cynthia Sanford, new executive director of PNJ
Join PNJ to receive the latest issues of Preservation Perspective
Cynthia Sanford, a PNJ member, preservation professional and former>Main Street New Jersey Program manager, has joined the staff of Preservation New Jersey as Executive Director.
"We are pleased with the selection of Ms. Sanford and look forward to expanding our ability to lead the state's preservation efforts," said Janice Wilson Stridick, president of Preservation New Jersey.
Ms. Sanford earned a B.A. in Art History from Boston University and an M.F.A. in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. While in Savannah, she researched the family papers of Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low, and surveyed over 250 buildings for the Historic Savannah Foundation. In 1990, she returned to her native New Jersey to work with the Great Falls Preservation & Development Corporation in Paterson. There, she researched district history, updated the self-guided walking tour, and served as membership development, public relations, and fundraising coordinator. She has completed seminars in fundraising and special events management, administration of nonprofits, and she regularly participates in conferences sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Main Street New Jersey, and Downtown New Jersey.
In West Orange, where she led the Main Street Development Corporation for the past four years, she worked with a diverse constituency to revitalize a downtown district which encompasses the Edison National Historic Site. Sal Jensen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Main Street Development Corporation in West Orange attributes much of the program's progress to her ability to work with a variety of people and projects and keep them moving forward.
"Cynthia was largely responsible for administering the Community
Economic Revitalization Program (CERP) for merchants and property
owners,
using her knowledge of design and preservation to encourage more than 25
merchants to build their businesses by improving their building's
appearance.
She was also the catalyst for the township affinity credit card and the
Special Improvement District which are both coming into play soon, and
will
help to continue to fund our downtown revitalization."