voc ep 101: Karen Theimer Brown

The James Brice House is one of the largest and most elegant of Annapolis’s historic homes, and one of the most important surviving structures from colonial America.  Recognizing the importance of the architectural gem, the State of Maryland purchased the James Brice House in 2014 and arranged for Historic Annapolis, Inc. (HA) to maintain and manage the National Historic Landmark property. In 2016, HA embarked on a multi-year, multi-million dollar restoration of the James Brice House.  The experts HA has assembled for this project are highly respected in their fields, are known world-wide and have worked on the nation’s most important historic structures including Mount Vernon, Monticello, Montpelier, Drayton Hall, and the Maryland State House.

Karen Theimer Brown is the President and CEO of Historic Annapolis. She brings over 20 years of experience in the preservation field. As President of HA, Karen serves as the primary spokesperson for the organization, setting policy, advocacy, and preservation planning initiatives. She is a past Commissioner of the Annapolis Historic Preservation Commission and is currently serving on the Annapolis Heritage Commission. Karen also served on the board of the Maryland Association of Historic District Commissions and the Annapolis City Dock Advisory Committee. She worked for the President’s Advisory Council on Historic Preservation for close to a decade and the City of Annapolis Preservation Division prior to joining the staff at Historic Annapolis. Previously, Karen served as the Vice President of the Preservation Division at Historic Annapolis. Karen lives in Annapolis with her husband and three boys.