Staff | Opportunities

Executive Staff

Heidi Swank | Executive Director

Contact Heidi at heidi.swank@nevadapreservation.org.

Dr. Swank received her doctorate in anthropology with an emphasis on history and language from Northwestern University in 2006. She has published and presented widely on the ties between history, placemaking, and every day lives. Heidi has almost 15 years of successful grant writing experience, implementing field research and overseeing student research across the globe. As a resident of our older downtown Las Vegas neighborhoods, Dr. Swank has gained significant knowledge of mid-century resources and styles. She has spent almost 10 years researching this and other eras of 20th century architecture.

Michelle Larime | Director, Neighborhood Stabilization

Contact Michelle at michelle@nevadapreservation.org.

Michelle has a background in architecture, special events, and various design industries. With a love for “old buildings,” Michelle bought a 1954 ranch house in the Beverly Green neighborhood, where she quickly became involved in NPF’s historic designation campaign. Her passion for preservation ultimately led to her current position with NPF. As the Associate Director, Michelle oversees NPF’s yearly programming, including Home + History, heads up neighborhood outreach campaigns and assists with the daily workings of the NPF office. Michelle is also pursuing her Master's in urban and regional planning with a focus on historic preservation and urban sustainability.

Suzey Sligh Van Ness | Director, Heritage Programs

Contact Suzey at suzey@nevadapreservation.org.

Suzey’s background includes 20 plus years of award-winning marketing, events, and development programs with expertise in the fields of entertainment, hospitality, non-profit, museums, education, and cultural institutions. A native Californian, Suzey and her family moved to Las Vegas in 2005 when she joined a select team tasked with developing the Las Vegas Springs Preserve and Nevada State Museum Complex. Following the completion of this 5-year project, Suzey accepted a position as Director of Development for The Shade Tree, a non-profit serving homeless women and children in Nevada. She is excited to be joining NPF to help support the foundation’s development efforts along with NPF’s signature annual event Home + History Las Vegas. Suzey is also pursuing her Master’s Degree in Museum Studies and Digital Curation.

Professional Staff

Andy Foremaster | Preservation Specialist

Andy was born and raised in Southern Nevada. He received his bachelor’s degree in history with an emphasis in American history from Southern Utah University. He later traveled to England where he studied historic preservation. In 2014 he graduated with his master’s degree in the conservation of historic buildings from the University of Bath. His studies have focused on traditional building methods and materials as well as the economic benefits of historic preservation.