Speakers

Erik Hein is the Executive Director of the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO), the national organization representing the State Historic Preservation Offices in every State, Territory and the District of Columbia before elected federal officials, federal agencies, national non-profits and the public. Before this position, which he has held since 2013, he was the President of Preservation Action, a national grassroots nonprofit organization focused entirely on federal historic preservation policy. Prior to that he held various positions at statewide, local and municipal historic preservation organizations and offices in Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

A national leader in historic preservation, he currently also serves on the Boards of several nonprofit organizations including the Preservation Action Foundation, National Preservation Institute, National Preservation Partners Network, Preservation Delaware and the Lewes Historical Society.

In addition to extensive public policy and nonprofit experience, Hein’s background is in communications and architectural history. He studied 19th Century art and architecture at the Victoria University of Manchester, UK, and holds a Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and a Master’s in American Studies/Historic Preservation from the George Washington University.

Nakita Reed is an architect and preservationist driven by the belief that existing buildings hold the key to addressing both the climate crisis and social inequality. She is Senior Director of Preservation Operations for the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she strengthens preservation practice systems, supports strategic partnerships, and advances preservation education. With expertise ranging from National Register properties to Passive House certifications, Nakita helps building owners and developers recognize the potential of what already exists and navigate the real-world pathways to reuse, from performance goals to implementation. Through her work (including prior practice at Quinn Evans), the Tangible Remnants podcast, and board service with leading preservation organizations, she is committed to making sustainable preservation the standard, not the exception. As one of the few Black female architects working at this intersection, Nakita’s perspective informs every aspect of her work from project strategy to public speaking and mentoring the next generation. She believes historic buildings can be both culturally significant and high-performing, and that transforming existing places is essential to a more resilient future. 

Shaw Sprague joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2012 and serves as Vice President of Government Relations, where he is a member of the executive leadership team and directs the organization’s federal advocacy strategy before Congress and the Administration. In this role, he leads a high-performing team and cultivates strategic relationships across government, nonprofit, and private-sector partners to advance a shared preservation agenda.

Shaw has a strong track record of building and managing broad-based coalitions that secure funding for historic preservation programs, strengthen state and federal incentives for building reuse, and elevate the role of preservation in addressing national priorities. His work emphasizes collaboration, aligning diverse stakeholders around policies that protect historic places and ensure their relevance for future generations.

Prior to joining the National Trust, Shaw advanced land conservation initiatives at The Trust for Public Land. He also served on Capitol Hill as a senior advisor to Senator Susan Collins, where he managed a wide-ranging policy portfolio including natural resources, trade, and judiciary issues.

Shaw holds a J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts, with a concentration in environmental, municipal, and land use law.