About Me

Olivia White

My name is Olivia White. I am an architectural historian and preservationist practicing in Las Vegas, Nevada. I entered the field of historic preservation fueled by the belief that preservation can make a real, tangible difference. I am passionate about the preservation of modern and postmodern resources, the adaptive reuse of former industrial sites, the preservation of unique sites, and the preservation of resources related to women’s history.

I believe that the historic resources we choose to protect are a reflection of what we admire and value from our history as a nation. What we preserve also reflects where we find beauty in the history of architecture. Historic architecture is a reminder of who we were and who we are, its preservation reflects the hope of who we can be. I believe historic preservation as a discipline and practice must become more of a reflection of the diversity of our nation, which requires a rethinking of what makes something a historic resource and what makes it valuable of our attention.

I have experience in the following areas:
-Preparing historic resource assessments/evaluations
-Reviewing projects for conformance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
-Researching, writing, and editing historic contexts
-Creating preservation plans
-Documenting historic buildings through writing, photography, and measured drawings
-Section 106 review & compliance
-Preparing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places
-Preparing local landmark nominations
-Reviewing projects for conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
-Preparing design guidelines
-Writing and editing federal grant applications

I am a member of the Los Angeles Conservancy and the Santa Monica Conservancy. I am a volunteer with the Nevada Preservation Foundation. I have an MA in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University and a BA in American Studies from Saint Louis University.