Linda Dishman to leave a ‘strong’ Los Angeles Conservancy
Linda Dishman
Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy, is stepping down after helming the nonprofit for 31 years.
“It has been a great run, but I feel the time is right to leave, both for me and for the organization,” Dishman told supporters via e-mail in mid-April.
“The Conservancy board and staff are strong, and we’ve hired a search firm to find the next leader,” she added.
Dishman announced that she would be retiring this coming November.
In a statement released by the organization, Conservancy Chair Joy Forbes said, “On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I want to thank Linda for her passion and dedication as the Los Angeles Conservancy’s leader for 31 years. As the Conservancy celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, I note that Linda has been at the helm for two-thirds of our history.”
“While her absence at the organization will be felt, we will continue to see the fruits of her labor in the many historic places across Los Angeles County,” she continued.
The board of directors has hired Envision Consulting to manage the search process and anticipates having a successor in place before Linda’s departure on Nov. 30, 2023.
Since Dishman’s arrival at the Conservancy in 1992, the group has been successful in saving iconic buildings threatened with demolition, such as the May Company (now the Academy Museum), Herald Examiner, Sheraton Town House, Downey McDonald’s, St. Vibiana Cathedral and the Century Plaza Hotel. The Conservancy has also expanded to saving places important within a broader and more diverse community — such as the Paul Revere Williams House.
The Conservancy helped add 14,000 units of housing in the Historic Core of Downtown as part of its Broadway Initiative, and the group has become a national leader in the effort to recognize Modernism.
Its Preservation Positive Report in 2020 validated that historic buildings and neighborhoods are a community asset enjoyed by economically and racially diverse residents.
“One of my favorite parts of leading the Conservancy has been working with so many people who believe in the power of our historic buildings to inspire and bring communities together,” said Dishman.
Historic preservation has been Dishman’s passion and profession since 1977 when she was an intern at the California Office of Historic Preservation in her Sacramento hometown. “I have met incredible people through this work, including my husband, and I have made many friends.
“It has been my honor to help preserve the places that hold the history and future of Los Angeles County. Thank you.”
And “thank YOU,” Linda Dishman.
Category: People