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Board of Directors and Officers
Mario Leonel
President and Board Member
Mr. Leonel has led in the preservation activities of the Trust since its founding. He is an engineer by background, with extensive international experience and studies in the area of preservation applied in the urban environment. He has rehabilitated historic buildings in the Washington, DC, area, where he also resides in an historic property.
Lisa Gibson
Secretary and Board Member
Ms. Gibson has had a 20 year career in Urban Real Estate planning and administration, during which time she has maintained an avid interest, both professionally and personally, in neighborhood and historic preservation, and has been a member of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and other preservation groups. She is a long time resident of both Washington, DC and New York, NY, where she resides in an historic property.
Florence Muller
Founder and Board Member
Ms. Muller is founder of the Trust and has spent a 40 year career involved in architecture and real estate development and rehabilitation. She resides in Western Maryland where she participates in the preservation efforts of the smaller local historic communities.
Mary Ellen Seravalli
Board Member
Ms. Seravalli is an attorney with 25 years of corporate and real estate experience, including acting as General Counsel for one of the largest real estate developers in the country. She brings to the Board the benefit of her legal background in corporate as well as real estate matters. She also has an enthusiatic interest in preservation, and is involved in property rehabilitation in northern Virginia.
Silvia Domenge
Board Member
Ms. Domenge brings to the Trust the benefit of her international experience in preservation of historic structures. In the Dordogne region in France, she spearheaded restoration of a 12th century castle, working with the local preservation organizations and authorities. In Mexico City, has been involved in the local efforts to preserve the historic stretches of Reforma Avenue.
Karen M. Leonel
Vice President and General Counsel
Ms. Leonel has had a 25 year professional career as attorney and corporate executive. She has authored several articles regarding the historic preservation and tax incentives. She has also acted in the areas of architecture, real estate development and historic property rehabilitation.
Executive Director
Karen M. Leonel
Executive Drector
Ms. Leonel has had a 20 year professional career as attorney and corporate executive. She has authored several articles regarding the Historic Preservation Tax Incentive Program. She has also acted in the areas of architecture, real estate development and historic property rehabilitation.
501(c)(3) Status
The Internal Revenue Service has determined that Capitol Historic Trust, Inc. is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code as an organization described in section 501(c)(3) and that it is treated as a public charity, with the advance ruling period having been successfully completed.
A copy of the IRS Letter affirming tax exempt status and treatment as a public charity is below, and may be viewed or downloaded from the PDF file.
IRS Letter for 501(3)(c) status
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