SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
The Historic Santa Fe Foundation (HSFF), a nonprofit dedicated to recognizing Santa Fe’s historic properties and diverse cultural heritage through educational initiatives, welcomed Melanie McWhorter as the new Executive Director on January 1, 2024.
McWhorter has nearly 26 years of experience working for nonprofits and other cultural organizations in the Santa Fe community. She previously served as HSFF’s Deputy Director, a role which she was promoted to in 2021 after four years with the Foundation. In addition to creating ambitious development plans McWhorter acted as the project manager on the revival of the Foundation’s historic publication Old Santa Fe Today.
The Foundation fulfills its mission through a variety of programs: facilitating research on historic properties through the HSFF Register of Properties Worthy of Preservation program, educating the next generation of preservation trade professionals through internships, and engaging its membership as well as the public through lectures, tours, and other education programs. As Executive Director, McWhorter will continue to grow the Foundation’s programs, lead the Foundation’s staff, and direct operational functions, in addition to superintending the Foundation’s two historic properties El Zaguán at 545 Canyon Road and the Edwin Brooks House at 553 Canyon Road.
“Historic Santa Fe Foundation’s long history as an active preservation nonprofit, the thoughtful decisions by the outgoing Executive Director Pete Warzel and the Board for its long-term viablity, and continued support from partners, members, and others in the community have fostered a strong and viable organization,” said McWhorter. “We head into 2024 with a strong team – both staff, volunteers, and Board – and a nearly completed master plan providing a new exhibition space, gift shop, and interpretive center that supports local artists and tells the history of our location on Canyon Road and the history of preservation in Santa Fe. While continuing programs including the Mac Watson Fellowship, the Meem Trades Internship, and the care for our historic buildings El Zaguán and the Edwin Brooks House, HSFF also has many promising programs under development that will engage a wider community and further expand on its education and preservation mission. I am appreciative of Warzel and the Board for trusting me as the leader for the next phase in the development of HSFF.”
McWhorter succeeds Pete Warzel. Warzel served as HSFF’s Executive Director from 2014 up until his retirement on December 31, 2023. In his outgoing letter to HSFF members, Warzel wrote, “We are here and viable, and visible in a city crowded with good causes and events. We have the means now of being here for a very long time… We are into ten years and have nothing to prove anymore… except to up our performance, keep the momentum and make it stronger, open new collaborative doors, add new programs, and stay relevant to the history that surrounds us, everywhere. Melanie McWhorter, our new Executive Director, can and will do just that, with the full support and commitment of the Board of Directors. Thank you for trusting in where we are going. The Historic Santa Fe Foundation is solid and ready for 2024, and in good hands for the future.”
The appointment of McWhorter to the position of Executive Director and the opening of a history interpretation room at El Zaguán in the spring will usher in a new chapter of community building and preservation efforts in Santa Fe for the Foundation.
