CEO at Columbus Landmarks
Dr. Rebecca F. Kemper is the first Hispanic CEO of Columbus Landmarks Foundation. In her first seven months as CEO writing grants, she has secured over $317,000 in new funding for the organization. Prior to her current role, she was a Researcher on COSI's Center for Research & Evaluation and a Manager of Communications / Manager of Design at the Gateway Film Center. Most recently, she has been recognized as the 2023 40 under 40 Columbus Business First, 2023 Hidden Figures: Women in Science by Ohio State University, and as the 2022 Education 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award. Dr. Kemper’s work has been featured on NPR, Journal of Urban Affairs, and The Royal Society.
Thanks to the foresight of city leaders and early preservationists who saved Dayton’s oldest residential neighborhood, The Oregon Historic District, the City of Dayton adopted zoning in the early 1980s to protect the cultural and architectural heritage of Dayton’s unique historic districts and landmarks. As a result, Dayton has saved and transformed its inner-ring historic neighborhoods into vibrant and thriving communities—all within walking distance of the central business district, arts and entertainment centers, and outdoor recreation amenities. From 1996-2012, residential property values increased 71% compared to 22% in non-historic districts, leading to “the irrefutable conclusion that the city has benefited quite substantially from the creation of the historic districts,” according to the independent analysis completed by The University of Dayton Business Research Group www.preservationdayton.com/neighborhoods Promoting the benefits of these regulations requires continual education and advocacy. In this session, we will discuss how to achieve this common goal.