Meet Our Board of Directors
Meet the Board of CoMo Preservation which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture in Columbia, Missouri. We strive to have a Board representing the full diversity of our community to give a voice to all who are passionate about preserving our historic architecture. If you are interested in joining the Board of Directors and/or devoting your time and talents to further our mission, please contact us at CoMoPreservation@gmail.com.
Dee Wasman
Webmaster, Dee Wasman, has been a part of CoMo Preservation since June 2022. A self-proclaimed anglophile, Dee’s love for historic preservation was fostered through her travels. Her favorite destinations range from the UK’s Cornish Coast to Savannah, Georgia. But her true love is Columbia’s unique historic architecture and learning about the technology necessary to promote the mission of CoMo Preservation. Besides her talents at technology wrangling, Dee earned a Masters in mathematics & PhD in curriculum and instruction at Mizzou. She was a mathematics teacher for 30 years with 24 of those years at Hickman High School where she became a PAEMST Awardee in 2015. She just recently became a Columbia Certified Tourism Ambassador.
Elena Vega
In January 2011 Elena Vega moved into a historic property in Columbia and entered the world of historic preservation. She has been involved with CoMo Preservation since May 2022 when it was only a dream. Since retiring in 2020, Elena has been spending time helping with her grandchildren and replacing her lawn with native plants including Missouri Coneflower, Little Blue Grass, Purple Coneflowers, and as many milkweeds as possible to support native pollinators. She is also on a mission to see the National Parks.
Melissa Bernhardt
Dedicated Lab Tech with a lifelong commitment to medical laboratories. My passion for history and historic places, influenced by parents deeply involved in restoration and American history, fuels my appreciation for the past. Beyond the lab, I find joy in breathing new life into old and discarded items, turning them into functional treasures.
Michael Limmer
Michael is a PhD candidate in history at the University of Missouri. His research investigates the social and political stakes of American soldiers in Italy during and after World War II. Prior to my PhD studies, I received my MA in history from the University of Missouri and my undergraduate degree in historical studies from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville. Originally hailing from Florissant, MO, Michael is a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis City SC. Aside from dissertating and researching, Michael spends his free time with his dachshund, Geddy.
Matt Fetterly
Matt was born in Columbia, Missouri, and is an 8th generation Boone Countian. He is an alumnus of Hickman High School and the University of Missouri. A lifelong love of Columbia inspired him to preserve a growing collection of over 170 books about Columbia and Boone County. A related project is collecting and cataloging books and ephemera from Columbia’s historic publishers, especially those manufactured by the E.W. Stephens Publishing Company, once Columbia’s largest business. Matt specializes in Columbia, Boone County, and Missouri history: particularly natural history, black history, indigenous history, LGBT history, and cultural history (especially architecture, music, art, theater, and cemeteries). When not playing music or writing about local history, he enjoys hiking, caving, camping, and floating, in the forest and prairies of Mid-Missouri.
Richard Perkins
Richard moved to Columbia, from England, via California (the state) in 1992. He has a background in the fine arts and has been an integral part of many architectural and construction roles in Columbia. He particularly enjoys the work he has done in historic preservation tax credit projects across the nation. He is a person who has been profoundly shaped by the landscape and architecture that surrounded him as he grew up. He is now a dedicated husband and father (who once in a while gets to potter in his garden where he mixes formality with rogue natives).