Amy E. Ricci

About 

Amy Ricci currently resides in the suburbs outside Philadelphia. She currently works as the Executive Director of Historic RittenhouseTown, the site of the first paper mill in North America. Previously Amy served as a Program Director at the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia for almost 10 years where she oversaw the organization’s easement portfolio of nearly 250 buildings. Amy has a graduate degree in Historic Preservation from Boston University. She enjoys gardening, stained glass and instilling an appreciation of architecture and the historic built environment in her two girls. Presently she is most interested in the integration of invasive plant species as a source for paper making. Ms. Ricci currently serves on the Board of Directors at Historic Germantown and Abington Art Center.

What have you been doing since you graduated from BU? Details about your current and past employment? Accomplishments you’re proud of? Challenges you’ve encountered?

After graduation I worked for Preservation Massachusetts the state wide advocacy origination and later as Executive Director of the South End Historical Society, located in Boston. Upon moving to Philadelphia, PA I began working with the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (PAGP) and The Fairmount Park Historic Preservation Trust (now the Fairmount Park Conservancy). I was with PAGP for over 10 years where I held a number of positions prior to taking on management of the easements program. While at the PAGP I also completed my real estate licensing exams.
I am currently the executive director of Historic RittenhouseTown (HRT), the 1690 site of America’s first paper mill and a National Historic Landmark. HRT is a 20 acre Philadelphia Parks and Recreations site, a level 1 arboretum, and gem within the Wissahickon Valley.

How has your time in the Preservation Studies Program shaped your professional and personal lives?

It has 100% driven my career path.

What advice would you give to students in the program looking for careers in preservation? What do you wish you had known when you were first entering the field?

You have to love old buildings to be good at it.