A native of a small historic courthouse town outside of Cleveland, Ohio, Julie Langan fell in love with Virginia while pursuing an MA degree in Architectural History at UVA. At the time of her graduation, preservation jobs were scarce, so she launched her career in Arkansas. As the only architectural historian in the state historic preservation office (SHPO), she was exposed to the full range of the state and federal preservation programs and was named Acting SHPO by then Governor Bill Clinton. After five years, an opportunity at the Department of Historic Resources (DHR) was too enticing to pass up and she returned to Virginia.

Julie’s 26 years at DHR was interrupted by a 10-year stint in Cleveland where she held leadership positions with a regional nonprofit and founded and directed a local organization. She returned to DHR in 2007 with the intent to finish out her career in Virginia. First appointed Director in 2014,  Julie has served four Governors.  She is passionate about historic architecture and the impact of preservation on the economy and a community’s sense of place.