Meet the Board
Kathryn Berger | Interim CEO
Kathryn Berger is a seasoned leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing economic and community development throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, with a strong track record in historic preservation. Most recently, she served as Interim President and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA), guiding its strategic vision and overseeing the transition to new leadership. Prior to WEDA, Kathryn led marketing and regional development at CG Schmidt, Inc., where she was involved in historic preservation projects, and at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), she administered state historic tax credits that leveraged over $845 million for historic redevelopment.
Dan Wilhelms | Milwaukee, WI | President
Daniel P. Wilhelms graduated from UW-Milwaukee with a BS in Architecture in 1981. Dan and his wife Linda own two historic houses on Milwaukee’s lakefront and have undergone two qualifying historic preservation projects. Wilhelms also owns two businesses in the architecture industry; Above View, which manufactures beautiful ornamental plaster ceiling tiles, and TechRender, which performs digital building documentation, laser scanning, photogrammetry, 3D modeling.
In addition to currently serving as Board Chair of the Wisconsin Trust for Historic Preservation, Dan also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Matt Sadowski, Vice President | Racine, WI | Member since 2024
Matt is a resident of Racine, WI, and is Owner/Principal of Planning Heritage Design Partner LLC (PHDP). Prior to forming PHDP in 2023, Matt was an urban planner for over 35 years working for Racine County, Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Village (Town) of Mt. Pleasant, the City of Muskego, and the City of Racine. With the City of Racine Matt served its Landmarks Preservation Commission for 21 years, overseeing a wide variety of preservation efforts such as artifact identification and documentation, landmark designations and preservation workshops, reconnaissance surveys and a city-wide preservation plan.
Matt is an appointed member of the Wisconsin Historical Society’s Preservation Review Board and serves as the chair of its History Committee. Matt also serves as president of the Wisconsin Association of Historic Preservation Commissions. Matt holds a Bachelor of Science in Geography from U.W. Parkside, and a Master of Urban Planning and a Master of Science-Architecture from U.W. Milwaukee’s School of Architecture and Urban Planning. Matt is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and a former State of Wisconsin certified building, electrical and HVAC inspector.
Charles Williams, Treasurer | Oshkosh, WI | Member since 1994
Charles received his B.A. in History at the University of Colorado and then attended the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison. In his law career, he often works with estate planning and uses his knowledge to help identify sites for rehabilitation and preservation as well as helping to procure Historic Tax Credits. Charles also has extensive knowledge of the several historic properties located throughout the state, and has worked on several historic preservation projects, especially in the city of Oshkosh.
Jen Davel | Secretary | Madison, WI | Member since 2024
Jen is the Midwest Director for Heritage Consulting Group, a national historic preservation consulting firm that specializes in securing historic tax credit approvals for the rehabilitation of historic properties. With more than 25 years in historic rehabilitation projects, Jen enjoys educating building owners about the historic tax credit program and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. Before joining Heritage, Jen worked in the Wisconsin State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) as Deputy SHPO and Tax Credit Reviewer. Jen received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Architecture with a certificate in Preservation Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.
Mark Ernst | Milwaukee, WI | Former President
Mark is an architect at Engberg Anderson Architects and has been interested in cities and historical buildings since a young age. His firm has worked on several restoration and adaptive reuse projects and brings this experience to the WTHP. Mark is also active in the Congress of New Urbanism and the ULI (Urban Land Institute).
Jon Beck | Madison, WI | Member since 2021
Jonathan Beck is a Development Project Manager with the Alexander Company, a nationally recognized development firm specializing in the adaptive reuse of historic structures. He has 25 years of real estate development and investment experience, having held previous positions with the National Trust Community Investment Corporation and Baker Tilly. He currently serves as President of the Wisconsin Historical Real Estate Foundation and is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison with a degree in Real Estate & Urban Land Economics.
Tammy Black | Platteville | Member since 2025
Tammy is an architect with a passion for designing new buildings and preserving historic structures. With over 20 years of experience, she has had the privilege of not only leading complex projects but also witnessing the positive impact they can have on communities. She enjoys collaborative work and thrives when working alongside diverse teams and stakeholders. She is deeply committed to ensuring that historical landmarks retain their authenticity while serving the evolving needs of the community.
Mary Gruhl | Bayview, WI | Member since 2023
Mary Gruhl is a dedicated resident of Bayview. Since her retirement, she has become deeply involved in the preservation of historical buildings on the Bayfield Peninsula. As President of the Washburn Heritage Association since 2021, she has worked tirelessly to protect and promote the area’s rich history. In addition to this, Mary has served as the Treasurer of the Bayview History Committee since 2019, a role in which she played a key part in the restoration of the last remaining train depot on the peninsula. She is also the Chair of the Friends of the R.D. Pike Building, Inc., an organization committed to restoring and preserving the iconic R.D. Pike Building (built in 1897 as part of the Les Voigt Fish Hatchery). Mary's diverse experience and unwavering commitment to preserving the history of the Bayfield Peninsula make her a respected figure in both her community and the field of historical preservation.
Eugene Hackbarth | DePere, WI | Member since 2009
Eugene (Gene) Hackbarth is a proud resident of De Pere, Wisconsin, and has represented Northeast Wisconsin on the WTHP for over 15 years. In order to fulfill his passion for retaining Wisconsin’s cultural heritage through education and supporting the owners of historic sites, he volunteers as a member of DePere’s Historic Preservation Commission and the city’s Main Street Program. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Brown County Trust for Historic Preservation, the Wisconsin Association of Historic Preservation Commissions, and the Heritage Hill State Park Corporation.
Aaron Holverson | Monroe, WI | Member since 2025
Aaron Holverson is a Principal and Architect with a background in historic renovation, project management, and carpentry. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from Judson University with an emphasis in Traditional Architecture and Urbanism. He is a licensed Architect, is NCARB certified, a member of the CNU, and a member of the Historic Preservation Commission in Monroe, Wisconsin.
Chris Rute | Milwaukee, WI | Member since 2025
Chris is a licensed Wisconsin Architect and began his career in architecture after graduating from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. He has worked in traditional architectural offices of varying sizes, a design-build firm, and corporate architecture in Dallas, Texas, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His career path pivoted from architectural design to code official for the city of Milwaukee. He now offers consultation services to design professionals and others regarding building codes. Chris is a passionate proponent of preservation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
Annemarie Sawkins | Shorewood, WI | Member since 2013
Annemarie Sawkins, PhD, is an independent curator, art historian, and art consultant born in Durham, England. Two years after moving to Milwaukee in 1995, she became an HMI (Historic Milwaukee, Inc.) guide, and in 2009 and 2011, she taught the architectural history classes for HMI’s guide training, and selected properties for the group’s popular Spaces ‘n Traces architecture tours. In 2019, she established an intern program with Marquette University, which enables students to work directly with the Trust and earn valuable experience in the preservation world.