Events
Ready to make our city better?
Join us for
our
2025 Preservation Month Festivities!
CCAD Design Studios on Broad
(390 E Broad St #3867, Columbus, OH 43215)
Since 2023, we gather together with our community organizers, leaders, and the general public at CCAD to learn from each other and meet the opportunity to grow an inclusive Columbus that cares about its past so that we can plan for a prosperous future for all.
Join us for a our annual #PreserveCBUS festivities, where we celebrate those doing amazing work in our city (Preservation Awards & Ed Lentz Prize), we engage with each other to learn how we can better our city (#PreserveCBUS Conference), & we honor our Columbus Landmarks members (Annual Meeting & Quarterly Tour)! Pre-registration for each activity is required & space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to be part of Columbus Landmarks – Preservation Month Festivities!
Thank you to our May PreserveCBUS Sponsors & Partners!
Through our community sponsors, we are able to make space for all that care about the future of Columbus this May!
PreserveCBUS by the Numbers
83
Talks given by area government offices & nonprofits
27
Attendees that are early professionals
9
Presentations on workforce development, barriers to entry, and/or STEAM fields
Conference Schedule & Info
CCAD Design Studios on Broad (390 E Broad St)
What sort of sessions are there? Who attends?
Typically, our conference attendees range from area students / young professionals, to elected officials and other area leaders. We have hosted area CEOs, City Council members, department leaders within state and city departments, community activists, academics, as well as the general public.
Our conference tracks include:
(1) Affordability & Sustainability
(2) Architecture/Preservation/History
(3) Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation
(4) Technology & Gig Economy
(5) Transportation
(6) Urban Affairs / Urban Studies
(7) Workforce Development
(8) Education / Informal Learning Spaces
Is this just about architectural preservation?! Nope 🙂
Columbus Landmarks vision of our city is that it continues to be a vibrant, sustainable urban area for all.
Knowing our past and understanding our city’s places of cultural heritage & architectural significance is a big part of our #PreserveCBUS work, and yet we also need to learn more from each other how issues of transportation, workforce development & education, sustainability, public policy, and downtown amenities work with preservation to sustain our city for generations to come.
How can I support this conference?
Yes!
Please consider becoming a 2025 May Preservation Month Sponsor (see our sponsorship benefits HERE) to support this conference or serving as a Columbus Landmarks Volunteer for the day (by signing up HERE).
Membership to Columbus Landmarks also helps support our quality programming offerings to central Ohio as well!
8-8:45 AM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Talk: Get Moving! Sports & Columbus Success
Track(s):
(3) Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation; (8) Informal Learning / Education
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Charnon Barnes – Executive Director, Central Ohio Youth Sports Collaborative
- Doug Ute – Executive Director, Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA)
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Offline
Glass Rm / Room 102
Offline
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Offline
9-9:45 AM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Talk: Navigating Columbus: Reflections on a Statue’s Meaning Across Time & Space
Track(s):
(1) Affordability & Sustainability; (2) Architecture/Preservation/History
Moderator(s):
- – Managing Principal, Designing Local
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Talk:
Lighting our Future: Ohio Afterschool Network & Celebrating Landmarks
Track(s):
(2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (7)Workforce Development; (8)Informal Learning / Education
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Michele Ritchlin – Executive Director, Ohio Afterschool Network
Glass Rm / Room 102
Talk:
Marketing Ohio to Attract Visitors, Residents & Workers
Track(s):
(3)Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation; (4)Technology & Gig Economy
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)
- Matthew L. MacLaren, Esq – Director of Travel and Tourism Policy, Ohio Chamber of Commerce
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Talk:
OANO – FIND: Forum for Innovative Nonprofit Development
Track(s):
(7) Workforce Development; (8) Education / Informal Learning Spaces
Moderator(s):
- Mark Cardwell – Executive Director Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
10-10:45 AM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Talk:
Emotions & Learning for Growing Cbus Hearts & Minds
Track(s):
(2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (3)Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation; (4)Technology & Gig Economy; (7)Workforce Development; (8)Informal Learning / Education
Moderator(s):
Stephanie Matthews – Executive Director, A Tribe for Jazz
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Talk:
HOLD – Supporting Our Local History – Session Workshop
Track(s):
Moderator(s):
Douglas Buchanan, Jr. – Vice President Of Programming, Columbus Metropolitan Club
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
Glass Rm / Room 102
Talk:
Leading for Change – Impact Academy @Columbus Young Professionals Club
Track(s):
(6)Urban Affairs / Urban Studies; (7)Workforce Development; (8)Informal Learning / Education
Moderator(s):
- Derek Grosso – Founder & CEO, Columbus Young Professionals Club
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Talk:
Moving Towards a Green(er) Columbus
Track(s):
(1) Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (8)Informal Learning / Education
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Shelly Douglas – Executive Director, Green Columbus
11-11:45 AM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Glass Rm / Room 102
Talk: Central Ohio Mayors’ Circle
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (6)Urban Affairs / Urban Studies
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Ben Kessler – Mayor, City of Bexley
- – Mayor, City of Westerville
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Talk:
Ohio Goes To The Movies presents: Heritage, Cinema, & Landmarks
Track(s):
(2) Architecture/Preservation/History (3) Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Jason Gay – Vice President of Operations, CAPA
- Molly Kreuzman – Program Director, Ohio Goes To The Movies
Community Room / Workspace 000
Hold - BK Development Franklinton
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Talk:
Supporting the Building Trades – Building Our Future & Saving Our Past
Track(s):
(1) Affordability & Sustainability
(2) Architecture/Preservation/History
(7) Workforce Development
(8) Education / Informal Learning Spaces
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
Noon – 12:45 PM Luncheon & Keynote Speaker
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Keynote Speaker:
1-1:45 PM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Glass Rm / Room 102
Talk:
The State of Higher Education in Central Ohio
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (7)Workforce Development; (8)Education / Informal Learning Environments
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- John Comerford – President, Otterbein University
- Adam Weinberg – President, Denison University
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Talk:
Making Room for All, Architecture Career Paths
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (7)Workforce Development; (8)Education / Informal Learning Environments
Moderator(s):
- Tianna St James – National Organization of Minority Architects, NOMA- Columbus
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Cameron Guthrie – National Organization of Minority Architects, NOMA- Columbus
- Montel Wells – National Organization of Minority Architects, NOMA- Columbus
Community Room / Room 000
Talk:
50 Years of Placekeeping at The Jefferson Center
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History(6) Urban Affairs / Urban Studies; (7)Workforce Development
Time Keeper:
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Katharine Moore, Executive Director at The Jefferson Center
Workshop Room / Main Lecture Hall 103
Talk:
Taking Back Space – Knowing Exclusionary Forms, Making Space in Columbus
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History(6) Urban Affairs / Urban Studies; (7)Workforce Development
Time Keeper:
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Michael Wilkos – Vice President, Community Engagement, United Way of Central Ohio
2-2:45 PM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
PreserveCBUS Signature Talk: Passenger Rail & LinkUS Conversation
Track(s):
(2) Architecture/Preservation/History
(3) Arts/Culture/Museums/Recreation
(4) Technology & Gig Economy
(5) Transportation
(6) Urban Affairs / Urban Studies
Moderator(s):
William Murdock – Executive Director, Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
Community speakers
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Offline
Glass Rm / Room 102
Offline
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Offline
3-3:45 AM Sessions
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Talk:
Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Office – Preserving Space for All
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (6)Urban Affairs / Urban Studies
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
On the Map Rm / Room 126
Talk:
Our Capital City Support for Women
Track(s):
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Liz Gordon-Canlas – Managing Director, Zora’s House
- BEWEL Committee Member
- CEO,
- Dr. Joyce Chen – Faculty & The Women’s Place Member, Ohio State University
Glass Rm / Room 102
Talk:
Affording Columbus – Understanding our City’s Housing Shortage
Track(s):
(1)Affordability & Sustainability; (2)Architecture/Preservation/History; (4)Technology & Gig Economy; (6)Urban Affairs / Urban Studies
Moderator(s):
- Erin Prosser – Deputy Director of Housing Strategies, City of Columbus
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Katharine Moore, Executive Director at The Jefferson Center
- Families Flourish
- Connect – Manufacturing
Workshop Rm / Room 103
Talk:
Funding Goodness in Columbus
Track(s):
Moderator(s):
Speaker(s)/Panelist(s):
- Regina Alhassan – CEO, ResearchPRO.com
4-4:45 PM
Members-Only Tour
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Q2 Columbus Landmarks Members-Only
Tour of CCAD Design Studios on Broad
Please join us for a special tour from CCAD’s Development Team about their adaptive reused of the CCAD Design Studios on Broad Building!
Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Members-Only Tour – 4:00 – 4:45 PM
Members-Only Happy Hour – 5:00-6:00 PM
Opening Remarks & Welcome – 6:05 PM
Staff & Board Presentation to Membership – 6:15-7:15 PM
Rainbow Rm / Main Lecture Hall Room 127
Annual Members-Only Meeting
Separate and FREE registration is required to attend our Annual Columbus Landmarks Members-Only Meeting.
Columbus Landmarks Board, Staff, and Volunteer Corps will report back on all of the wonderful annual progress that was made and what is in the works for the upcoming year (and beyond)!
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
2026 Preservation Month – SAVE THE DATES
Monday, May XX, 2026 | Preservation Awards & Ed Lentz Prize (4:45 PM – 6:30 PM)
Tuesday, May XX, 2026 | #PreserveCBUS Conference (7:45 AM-4:45 PM)
Tuesday, May XX, 2026 | Annual Members-Only Meeting (5:45 PM- 7:30 PM
What We Do in May
Each year we work to make sure that National Preservation Month in Columbus, Ohio means preserving a space for all. We celebrate each other’s perspectives, heritages, histories, and visions for a vibrant future for our capital city.
Read on to see our running numbers for how we are doing this year and where you too can become our partner in this important work!
How We’ve Grown
2023
Launched our Conference with CCAD & hosted Columbus City Council-led panel on mass transit needs
2024
Doubled our conference interest & offered sessions on preserving affordable, meaningful places for all neighborhoods
2025
Made regional workforce development a key of our conference; supported many more early career professionals to attend our conference.
2026