Staff

Susan Macdonald, RIBA, PIA, ICOMOS, joined the Conservation Institute in 2008 as head of Field Projects. Susan has a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Sydney, as well as a master's degree in conservation studies from the University of York/ICCROM. She is also a certified practicing planner. Macdonald has worked in the private and public sectors in London, including English Heritage, and immediately prior to the Conservation Institute, at the New South Wales Heritage Office in Australia as its director. She has been involved in a wide range of conservation issues from urban planning, development, economics, world heritage, and policy and technical matters, and has lectured, authored, and edited various books and articles on these topics. Macdonald has served on a number of international and national advisory committees and editorial boards. She is a member of the Docomomo International Specialist Technical Committee and APTi's Modern Committee and is copresident of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage (ISC20C).

Ana Paula Arato Gonçalves joined the Conservation Institute in 2017. She has a bachelor's degree in architecture from the School of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo and earned an MS in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011. Since then, her work has focused on the conservation of modern heritage sites and modern concrete—first, as a graduate intern at the Conservation Institute, then, upon returning to Brazil in 2012, as an architect in private practice and for public institutions engaged in architecture conservation. Her current work at the Conservation Institute continues to focus on concrete conservation and modern architecture, and includes conservation projects, research, and publications.

Current project: Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative

César Bargues Ballester holds a Master of Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Valencia and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania. Before joining the Conservation Institute in 2018, he conducted recording, documentation, and investigative studies with a focus on modern architecture, in both private practice and academia, as a research associate at the University of Pennsylvania. At the Conservation Institute, he is involved in conservation projects within the Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative, including treatment research, publications, and workshops, focusing on conservation planning for twentieth-century heritage.

Current project: Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative

Rita Cofield joined the Conservation Institute in 2022 to lead the Los Angeles African American Historic Places project. She holds an undergraduate degree in architecture and planning from Howard University and a Master of Heritage Conservation from the University of Southern California. She is a cultural resource manager and public historian and has stage-managed theatrical productions throughout the United States. She currently serves on the board of Howard University’s Southern California Alumni Chapter and is a member of the California Preservation Foundation’s Board of Trustees. She was the inaugural executive director of the Los Angeles-based advocacy organization Friends At Mafundi.

Current project: African American Historic Places Los Angeles

Leslie Friedman has been with the Conservation Institute since 2009, specializing in the conservation and management of archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, with a current focus on climate change. She serves on the committee for the Archaeological Materials and Sites Working Group of ICOM-CC and is an expert member of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Archaeological Heritage Management. She holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MSc in Historic Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania, and conducted PhD work in archaeology at New York University. Prior to coming to Getty, Leslie worked on conservation projects spanning the American Southwest to Lebanon.

Current projects: Climate Change and Archaeological Heritage, Shelters for Archaeological Sites with Mosaics, Nea Paphos Conservation and Management Project

Sara Lardinois holds an architecture degree from the University of Notre Dame and received additional training at ICCROM. She is a registered architect in the state of California and a LEED-accredited professional, as well as an expert member of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture. Prior to joining the Conservation Institute in 2010, she worked at a firm specializing in the conservation of built heritage in the western United States, with much of her work located in US National Parks. She has also consulted on conservation projects in Turkey, Egypt, and Yemen.

Current projects: African American Historic Places Los Angeles, Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative, Shelters for Archaeological Sites with Mosaics

Cheryl Lederman has been at the Conservation Institute since 2022 assisting Susan Macdonald, head of Buildings and Sites, as well as supporting various projects within the department.

Elena Macchioni is an Italian-qualified architect with a PhD in Preservation of Architectural Heritage from Politecnico di Milano. She holds a master's degree in architecture from the Università degli Studi di Parma and a Specialization Diploma in the Conservation of Architectural and Landscape Heritage from the Università degli Studi di Genova. She started her career in private practice in Italy, focusing on the conservation of historic listed buildings. She also worked on the Great Pompeii Project, contributing to the condition assessment of the archaeological site. Her collaboration with the Conservation Institute began with a graduate internship, followed by consulting work. Since joining the Conservation Institute staff in 2019, she has been part of the Earthen Architecture Initiative team, where she primarily works on the Seismic Retrofitting Project, and was previously involved in the Bagan Conservation Project.

Current projects: Earthen Architecture Initiative, Seismic Retrofitting Project

Benjamin Marcus is a conservator working on training in stone conservation and the conservation of earthen architecture in Morocco. Prior to joining the Conservation Institute, he was a building conservator with the government of Abu Dhabi, working on the conservation of stone and earthen vernacular buildings and archaeological sites. He holds an MSc in Historic Preservation from Columbia University. He is an expert member of the ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Earthen Architectural Heritage.

Current project: Earthen Architecture Initiative

Chandler McCoy, AIA, manages the Conserving Modern Architecture Initiative at the Conservation Institute. This includes developing and delivering educational and training programs, managing field projects, and publishing technical books related to conserving modern heritage. Prior to joining the Conservation Institute in 2015, he was the associate director for planning and design at the Presidio Trust in San Francisco. He is a registered architect and received his BS in Architecture from the University of Virginia and Master of Architecture from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation in New York City. He holds a Certificate in Architectural Conservation from ICCROM in Rome. He is cofounder and past president of the Northern California chapter of Docomomo US and serves on the board of the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation in Los Angeles.

Ryan McKeithan is with the Buildings and Sites’ Conservation of Modern Architecture Initiative team. He began his career working in entertainment with Jerry Bruckheimer Productions, rising to Manager in TV. Since then, he has specialized in project management inside and outside of entertainment, including positions as an education coordinator at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, manager of special projects for the CEO of American Botanical Pharmacy, and as the lab series director for Joan Scheckel Filmmaking Labs.

Gail Ostergren joined the Conservation Institute in 2002. Focused on the publication and dissemination of Building and Sites' work, she does research, writing, and editing for a number of projects. She earned her PhD in History at University of California, Los Angeles, specializing in urban, architectural, and Southern California history. Gail serves on the City of West Hollywood’s Historic Preservation Commission and the City of Los Angeles’s Miracle Mile Historic Preservation Overlay Zone Board. She is a founding board member of the Docomomo US/SoCal chapter and is currently on the organizing committee for the 2026 Docomomo International conference. She has also served on planning committees for eight annual California Preservation Conferences.

Leslie Rainer is a wall paintings conservator with a master's degree in the conservation of decorated architectural surfaces from Antioch University and a Certificate in Mural Paintings Conservation from ICCROM. She leads projects addressing wall paintings and decorated architectural surfaces and has worked on projects in Africa, Europe, China, Central and South America, and Los Angeles. She has organized colloquia and conferences with the GCI and served as volume editor for their proceedings. Rainer was awarded the Rome Prize in Historic Preservation and Conservation from the American Academy in Rome, and she is a member of AIC, IIC, ICOM-CC, and WAAC.

Micaela Shea holds a BA in Organizational Studies from Pitzer College and an MA in Organizational Management from Antioch University. Before joining the Conservation Institute, she was an executive assistant to the managing partner of Gelfand, Rennert & Feldman, LLC (business management and tax preparation services to HNWI in the entertainment industry). Shea has been with the Conservation Institute since 2005.

Current projects: African American Historic Places Los Angeles, Nea Paphos Conservation and Management Project

Alessandra Sprega is a conservation architect and an associate project specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute. She holds a BA and an MA in Architecture from the University of Roma Tre (Italy), as well as a second MA and a PhD in Conservation Studies from the University of York (UK). During her PhD, Alessandra collaborated with several conservation practices in the UK, specializing in designing conservation solutions for listed buildings across the North of England. She later worked with the Conservation Institute as a consultant following a graduate internship with the Earthen Architecture Initiative from 2022 to 2023.

Current projects: Earthen Architecture Initiative, Seismic Retrofitting Project, International Course on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture

Nichole Valliere joined the Conservation Institute as senior project coordinator for Buildings and Sites in 2023. Currently working with the Conservation and Management of Archaeological Sites and Wall Paintings Conservation teams, she collaborates on a range of GCI publications, international campaigns, and events. With a longstanding interest in the humanities and cross-cultural collaboration, she previously held roles in the fields of international education, international business development, and architectural marketing. Valliere holds a double BA in French and Sociology, a minor in Environmental Studies, and an MA in French Literature from the University of Kansas.