Preservation Planning Associates

Introducing Roxanne Eflin

Roxanne Eflin, MA, CITM,is the Program Director of the Maine Downtown Center, a program of the nonprofit Maine Development Foundation.  She serves as the Maine State Coordinator for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Main Street program, a celebrated Four-Point Approach to downtown revitalization.  Roxanne also owns Preservation Planning Associates, a preservation consulting business based in Buxton, Maine.  She is a member of the Rho class of Leadership Maine, another program of the Maine Development Foundation.

Roxanne serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions.  She is a national trainer with the NAPC's Commission Assistance Mentoring Program (CAMP) and serves on the national Speaker's Bureau.  She also serves on numerous boards and advisory committees including the Maine Downtown Coalition Steering Committee and the Executive Committee of the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission. She holds a Masters degree in Urban Planning and Historic Preservation and is a Certified International Tour Manager (CITM), focusing on heritage and educational tours in an effort to help sustain communities through diverse cultural appreciation. 

Roxanne began her career in historic preservation in 1981 serving as Downtown Project Manager in Manitou Springs, Colorado, one of the original 30 National Main Street Center demonstration cities. While there, she served as Vice-Chair of the local Historic Preservation Commission. She was a founding Board member of Colorado Preservation, Inc. and later served as President. Between 1988 to 1997 Roxanne held positions as Historic Preservation Officer and Certified Local Government coordinator in Aspen, Pitkin County and Central City, Colorado, a National Register Landmark District.   

In 1997, Roxanne was selected through a national search to serve as Executive Director of Maine Preservation, the statewide nonprofit advocacy organization.  During her tenure, the organization’s fiscal health, programs and effectiveness grew substantially. In recognition of ten years of leadership as Executive Director, Roxanne received a National Trust for Historic Preservation's President’s Award and an official expression of sentiment from the 123rd Maine State Legislature for her "tireless dedication to protecting Maine's historic places" and work to inspire citizens to take action to protect and preserve their heritage. She also received a preservation honor award from the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and the 2007 Visionary Award from the Maine Downtown Center.  

She is a published author, writer and editor - and is portrayed as a character in the "Miller's Kill" book series by award-winning mystery writer and friend, Julia Spencer Fleming!  Roxanne and her husband steward a 175-year old New England connected farmhouse located in a National Register historic district in southern Maine.

A summary of Roxanne's work follows: 

Roxanne served as Interim Program Director of the Maine Downtown Center from October, 2008 to March 2009, then worked as Program Manager until assuming the Program Director position full time effective March, 2010.  She was a founding member of the exploratory committee in 1999 which evolved into the Advisory Committee of the Maine Downtown Center, on which she served continuously until assuming a staff role.   

For ten years from May, 1997 to August, 2007, Roxanne served as Executive Director of Maine Preservation, the statewide nonprofit (501c3) advocacy organization based in Portland, Maine, a Statewide Partner to the National Trust.  She served as part-time ex-officio "to help keep the boat afloat" while in preparation for her successor in Spring '08.

Roxanne managed all aspects of organization’s mission focused on advocacy, education, outreach, preservation easements and leadership to preserve and protect Maine’s historic places and cultural landscapes.  She also managed the operating budget of $165,000 with over 1,000 member households and dedicated and restricted funds over $550,000, plus staff and many volunteers; assets grew over 800% in less than ten years.

Roxanne was originally selected through a national search.  Working with the Board of Trustees and Advisory Trustees, she grew the organization’s name recognition and respect statewide and nationally, integrated technology into all operations and creating a visual logo brand for the organization, steadily growing numerous programs and assisted in creating program endowments.  She helped achieve multiple legislative successes and galvanized essential organizational relationships statewide.

During her tenure, Maine Preservation worked successfully with the Trust for Public Land and a number of conservation organizations to protect, through easements, the 1,700 acre National Historic Landmark and only active Shaker Community in the world, Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester, Maine and a winner of a 2007 National Preservation Honor Award. 

Prior to her move to Maine, Roxanne served for two years as Historic Preservation Officer in Central City, Colorado, a National Historic Landmark District and Certified Local Government.  There she staffed the Historic Preservation Commission and administered a $250,000/annual grant program to owners of historic properties.

Roxanne also served for five years as Historic Preservation Officer in Aspen, Colorado, a Certified Local Government, within the combined City/County Planning Department.  Numerous legislative amendments were made to Aspen's preservation ordinance during this time, strengthening and enhancing tools and incentive to protect the signature small-scale resources of this world-reknown historic mountain silver-mining town.  She co-authored "Guide to Historic Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley" published by Cordillero Press, 1989.

From 1982-1984, Roxanne held the position of Main Street Program Manager in one of the National Main Street Center's original 30 demonstration cities, Manitou Springs, Colorado.  There she effectively managed the four-point approach, which has grown to be synonimous with the Main Street program:  organization, design, promotion and economic restructuring.  She worked through the Manitou Springs Development Company and the City of Manitou Springs, bringing to the position a prior background in real estate and mortgage lending. She also served as Vice-Chair of the Manitou Springs Historic Preservation Commission.

Roxanne Eflin received her BA in Public Administration and her Masters degree in Urban Planning and Historic Preservation through a combined degree program with the University of America and graduate certificate program in Historic Preservation through the University of Denver/University College from 1988-1991.  In 2007, she achieved her designation as a Certified International Tour Manager (CITM) through the International Guide Academy/International Tour Manager Academy in Denver, Colorado.

Roxanne's enthusiasm combined with broad-based experience in the public and private sectors of historic preservation, downtown revitalization and tour management provides her with the knowledge base and heartfelt "been there - done that!" compassion for people who are also working and living with historic preservation as a guiding principal in sustainable community development.