Staff
Marisa Angell Brown – Executive Director
Marisa is an architectural historian and educator who comes to PPS most recently from Rhode Island School of Design, where she served as Associate Director of the Center for Complexity. Prior to this, Marisa was Assistant Director at the John Nicholas Brown Center for Public Humanities and Cultural Heritage at Brown University, where she taught courses on preservation and heritage practice and led the Center’s academic and community programs and partnerships.
Marisa holds a PhD in the History of Art and Architecture from Yale University, an MA in History from the University of Chicago, and a BA from Princeton University. Her writing has appeared in the Journal of Architectural Education, Places Journal, Perspecta, Buildings and Landscapes, and the Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. She teaches courses in public writing and social change at the women’s prison in Rhode Island and lectures in the art history and interior architecture departments at RISD.
Email Marisa.
Kate Blankenship – Development Coordinator
Kate is a native of Madison, Wisconsin, and received a degree in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2010. She re-located to Providence later that year to attend Brown University and completed an MA in Anthropology in 2012. She began her time at PPS as a volunteer in 2013, and joined the staff in July of that year. She lives in Pawtucket with her husband and son.
Email Kate.
Adriana Hazelton – Advocacy Manager
Adriana’s work is centered in identity, belonging, and its relationship to community vitality. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Florida State University, she worked in community development as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania and for Americorps VISTA in Southern Vermont, followed by several years doing restorative justice work in the criminal justice system. Before joining PPS in August 2022, Adriana completed the Historic Preservation Graduate Program at Pratt Institute and interned at Ascendant Neighborhood Development, where she worked on intangible heritage and cultural resource initiatives.
Email Adriana.
Angela Kondon – Director of Development
Angela has been at PPS since January 2012. Prior to that, she was the Chief of Staff at The RISD Museum for 16 years. She also worked in the Curator’s Office at the White House for six years under Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Angela received her BA in Art History from Smith College. Locally, she serves on the board of the Newman YMCA in Seekonk, MA, and as a Trustee of the Newman Congregational Church in Rumford.
Email Angela.
Kelsey Mullen – Director of Education
Kelsey Mullen joined PPS in June 2019. She is a public historian, humanities champion, and architecture superfan with 15 years of experience in cultural organizations throughout the northeast. Previously, Kelsey served as the Public Programs Manager for the Newport Restoration Foundation, and as Director of Public Programming and Education at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home. Kelsey holds bachelor’s degrees in History and Education from Mount Holyoke College and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
Email Kelsey.
Alice Roher joined PPS as Training Manager in June 2023. She has a long-time interest in craftsmanship, artisanry and how things are created, and a love of historic homes and gardens. She has a varied background, having worked in various administrative roles at Bryant, RISD, and Lifespan and different organizations in Massachusetts as a consultant and organizational trainer for users learning new computer systems. Alice holds a BA in English literature from Susquehanna University and a MS in Organizational Communication from Simmons College.
Email Alice.