Kristin Gisleson Palmer, a former Preservation Resource Center department head and civic leader who served on the New Orleans City Council in the years after Hurricane Katrina, has been named executive director of the PRC.
She stepped into the role on Sept. 29 and will spend the coming weeks meeting one-on-one with staff and board members.
“Kristin has a long history with the PRC and a unique background that is invaluable to the organization when it comes to making sure the people and places that make this city so special are protected. She made sure her time on the City Council was used to continue those efforts,” said PRC President Hartley Crunk. “We’re excited to welcome Kristin back to the PRC. I know she’ll continue the great work the organization has done for more than half a century.”
“The Preservation Resource Center is a leader in preserving the most culturally significant city in America. Their advocacy and programs have helped generations of New Orleanians to remain and thrive in our city,” Palmer said. “It is an honor to be back to continue this important work that is so vital to preserving our neighborhoods.”
Palmer was twice the director of Christmas in October, later renamed Rebuilding Together New Orleans, a former PRC program that rebuilt homes of low-income elderly or disabled residents with the help of volunteer teams. Her work leading the program after Hurricane Katrina led to hundreds of families being able to return home.
She was also coordinator of the PRC’s Historic Preservation Education Program.
Palmer served on the New Orleans City Council, representing District C from 2010-2014 and again from 2018-2022. Historic neighborhoods in that council district include the French Quarter, Algiers Point, Treme, the 7th Ward, Bywater and St. Roch.
During her time on the council, Palmer’s primary focus was on housing, transportation and disaster/recovery.
She worked to pass the New Orleans Master Plan, the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance and Complete Streets legislation. She led numerous blight reduction initiatives and worked to ensure sustainable building practices during disaster/recovery and the rebuilding phases. She also led the council in reworking policies for short-term rentals as they began to proliferate across the city and focused on affordable housing and transportation initiatives.
She founded Bargeboard NOLA in 2015. The company has focused on vacant and blighted housing and lots and has renovated and/or built 80 homes in Old Algiers. Bargeboard also operates a mill shop and architectural salvage and vintage store.
Her work has been recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the City of New Orleans and the Louisiana Landmarks Society, as well as the Preservation Resource Center.
Palmer replaces Danielle Del Sol, who was the PRC’s executive director from 2018 until July before departing for a similar job in Florida.
