FIRM PROFILE

Spencer Preservation Group acts as a passionate and vocal advocate for the buildings we touch, and integrate aesthetic considerations with the cultural, historic, and functional factors that enrich and inform our projects. With our guidance, clients create vibrant settings that link past and present – and endure for generations.

We believe that while spatial and physical relationships are essential dimensions of architecture, human relationships are even more fundamental. Every project we undertake is a shared journey with our clients: For that reason, we work to establish common ground between our firm and those with whom we work. These productive relationships are founded on lively, far-ranging conversations that demonstrate our value and expertise from the earliest stages of a project.

Our team is distinguished by diverse individual backgrounds. We take pride in our associates’ eclectic interests and breadth of skills, which strengthen our practice. Each team member plays an essential role in the firm and contributes to a varied portfolio of client projects. Despite our specialized skills, we are truly one practice – united by a common passion for beautiful, useful spaces that have rich stories to tell.

The Group

Lynne Spencer serves as principal of preservation, with a long and distinguished tenure preserving historic buildings and properties for contemporary use and conservation. At Historic New England, Lynne held a series of positions including Director of Properties – a role responsible for 120 buildings and 50 historic sites. She also worked as project manager for L.V. Mawn Construction, was a consultant for the Massachusetts Historical Commission, and served as state director of the Smithsonian Institute’s “Save Outdoor Sculpture” initiative. She has directed the preservation and rehabilitation of numerous well-known structures, including three H.H. Richardson buildings and Boston’s Old North Church.

Alma mater: Keuka College

Hometown: Penn Yan, NY

Lynne Spencer, Principal

Doug Manley serves as Spencer Preservation Group’s principal of architecture. As a seasoned preservation architect with a career focus on repair, restoration, renovation, and additions to historic buildings, his projects typically involve buildings listed on the State or National Register of Historic Places for public sector and institutional clients. Much of Doug’s experience involves civic structures, working with over 20 historic town halls, sensitively introducing 21st-century office and assembly environments into 19th- and early 20th-century structures. Several of his projects were bestowed preservation awards from the Massachusetts Historical Commission, including the Provincetown, Sandwich, and Needham Town Halls.

Alma mater: Miami University

Hometown: Belmont, VT

Doug Manley, Principal

Principal Shawn Willett is a registered architect throughout New England and holds certifications in contract administration, specification-writing, and several other disciplines. He has a background in traditional residential and institutional design, which directly informs his work as an architect and preservationist. Shawn’s experience ranges from directing complex restoration projects to designing sensitive modern additions to historic properties to improve access and re-use in accordance with The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards. His catalogue of projects includes buildings listed on State and National Historic Registers, as well as National Historic Landmarks like Boston’s Old West Church and Fenway Studios. He has recently directed the comprehensive restoration of Scituate’s 1811 Lighthouse, which included the replication of its historic lantern room and serves as an icon of Massachusetts' South Shore.

Alma mater: Boston Architectural College

Hometown: Braintree, MA

Shawn Willett, Principal

With a long and accomplished career as a registered architect, Susan Hurst brings strong project and client management skills to her work, which includes a variety of building types across Massachusetts. While at Spencer Preservation Group, Susan has worked on notable buildings including the Spire Performing Arts Center in Plymouth, the Somerville Hispanic Church, and H.H. Richardson’s Oakes Ames Memorial Hall in North Easton. Previously, she worked at Finegold Alexander + Associates and Shepley Bulfinch, both located in Boston.

Alma mater: Boston Architectural College

Hometown: Miami, FL

Susan Hurst, Architect

Meghan Rodenhiser is an architectural designer whose lifelong passion for history and architecture has led her to pursue a career in historic preservation. As a graduate student, Meghan was involved in several internships during which she conducted archival research, documented existing conditions, and completed conditions assessments and treatment recommendations for several historic properties. She has experience in residential, municipal, and historic preservation projects, including the Wright Tavern in Concord, MA, Oakes Ames Memorial Hall in Easton, and Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth, as well as the William Vernon House in Newport, RI.

Alma mater: Roger Williams University

Hometown: Wilmington, MA

Meghan Rodenhiser, Designer

Caroline is Spencer Preservation Group’s business and communications manager. Before entering the exciting world of architecture, she previously had a career in healthcare and B2B tech public relations where she managed companies – large and small – as they expanded their media footprint. She also spent time as a newswriter at a broadcast news station in Boston, covering events such as the Baby Doe case, 2016 election, Aaron Hernandez trial, and multiple Olympic games.

Alma mater: University of Tampa

Hometown: Plymouth, MA

Caroline Metell-Willett, Business & Communications Manager