Monica Rhodes is the Associate Director for HOPE Crew for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She has spent the past three years overseeing the National Trust’s “Hands-On Preservation Experience” (HOPE Crew) program. After earning her undergraduate degree in History at the University of Tulsa, she attended Temple University where she received a Masters in African American Studies. Seeking to acquire more technical skills to save historic places she then went on to complete a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation at the University of Pennsylvania. Previous to her current position, Monica has also worked as a project manager for Partners in Preservation program with American Express and provided support for the Trust’s Washington field office. Throughout her career she has taken great joy in connecting people with the past, and is excited by the unique opportunity, HOPE Crew, to introduce a new audience to the world of historic preservation.