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Strengthening SOHO's Leadership: Meet Our New Board Members
March/April 2026
We are pleased to welcome four outstanding members to our board of directors: Maria E. Curry, John Eisenhart, Eva Thorn, and Jeff Walker. Last year, we were also fortunate to add Jennifer Macdonald and Janet O’Dea to our board leadership team. Together with our six highly accomplished returning board members (read about them online), this new group brings exceptional expertise, experience, and commitment to SOHO's mission of protecting and advocating for San Diego’s historic places.
A Board Built for This Moment
The breadth of preservation leadership, architectural expertise, legal and real estate knowledge, design excellence, and grassroots advocacy represented on this board strongly positions SOHO for the work ahead. At a time when preservation advocacy is more important than ever, we are deeply grateful for their leadership and service as we continue working for the public good to protect San Diego’s historic and cultural resources.
Maria E Curry
Maria E Curry is a distinguished preservation scholar and cultural heritage leader with more than three decades of experience in the field. She works for the Baja California state Secretary of Culture as director of the Department for Monitoring Tangible Cultural Heritage, where she oversees identification, evaluation, and policy development for cultural resources. Maria also is a professor at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte and the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.
An architectural engineer with a Master's degree in Restoration of Monuments and a Ph.D. in Historic Preservation from Cornell University, Maria represents Baja California state in ICOMOS Mexicano, supporting international preservation standards and cross-border collaboration. Her distinguished career includes leadership roles within Mexico's federal government and, in the United States, as a preservation specialist with the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
A longtime supporter of preservation efforts on both sides of the border, Maria has contributed to organizations including the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, the San Diego Model Railroad Museum, and SOHO, and she currently serves on the board of the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. Her global perspective and binational leadership strengthen our regional preservation efforts and voice in meaningful and lasting ways.
John Eisenhart
Architect John Eisenhart, principal and co-founder of Union Architecture (est. 2004), is widely respected for his work in vernacular architecture and historic restoration. He holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Michigan, where he developed a foundation in traditional design, architecture history, and craft-based building approaches.
John's work throughout San Diego County includes numerous significant restoration and preservation projects, including award-winning efforts such as the restoration of a 1906 Mexican Presbyterian Church, which SOHO recognized with a People In Preservation Award for excellence in commercial restoration and cultural heritage. He previously served on the City of San Diego's Historical Resources Board, where he supported public education and advised homeowners on best practices. Highly knowledgeable, John brings decades of hands-on experience to our board.
Jennifer Macdonald
Jennifer Macdonald is a licensed architect with a strong commitment to historic architecture and preservation. Raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, she developed an early fascination with the built environment. After earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television from Chapman University, she redirected her creative focus toward architecture, completing her Master of Architecture degree with a concentration in Historic Preservation at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona.
Jennifer began her career in San Diego, where she acquired specialized expertise in complex commercial projects, particularly within the life sciences, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical sectors. Alongside this work, she has contributed to dozens of historic designation reports and provided architectural services to owners of historic homes throughout the region. Her professional path reflects a consistent dedication to adaptive reuse and the thoughtful preservation of historic structures.
Janet O'Dea
Janet O’Dea grew up in Chicago, which sparked her lifelong interest in architecture and design. She joined SOHO in 2000 and has remained actively involved on its committees ever since.
Janet co-produced with her late husband, Allen Hazard, the Mission Hills Historic District nomination, designated in 2007 and the first resident-driven historic district in the nation. Together, they also authored Mission Hills: Images of America for Arcadia Publishing and prepared numerous historic designation reports for San Diegans seeking to recognize and preserve their properties.
Janet’s professional background combines corporate experience, small business ownership, restoration work, and longstanding community service. She served on the coordinating committee of Third Act SoCal (2021–2024) and as vice chair of Uptown Planners, where she founded and chaired the Historic Resources Committee. A graduate of DePaul University with a Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, she has contributed her expertise to a wide range of preservation and civic initiatives.
Eva Luise-Juliane Thorn
Architect Eva Thorn specializes in the preservation and adaptive reuse of historic and vernacular architecture. As a principal at Union Architecture, she shared PIP honors with John Eisenhart for restoring a 1906 Mexican church in San Diego's East Village. Eva oversees all aspects of the firm's preservation work, with an emphasis on sensitive design and cultural context. The firm is a certified Small Local Business Enterprise with the City of San Diego.
Originally from Germany, Eva holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University of Kaiserslautern and a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the Technische Fachhochschule Berlin. Her European background and training inform a thoughtful and disciplined approach to stewardship of the built environment, especially historic buildings. A SOHO member since 2005, Eva brings deep technical expertise, design excellence, and collaborative leadership to the board.
Jeff Walker
Jeff Walker, founder and creative director of the real estate firm Agents of Architecture, brings expertise in real estate, branding, and advocacy for historic and architecturally significant properties throughout Southern California. With more than 30 years spent in San Diego, Jeff has championed the region's architectural character in neighborhoods that are rich in Spanish Revival and Mid-Century Modern residences as well as California Bungalows and Ranch-style homes.
His professional background includes a degree in business management from San Diego State University and a JD from California Western School of Law, with a focus on real estate law. At Agents of Architecture, Jeff leads brand strategy, marketing, and community engagement, cultivating a dedicated network of historic-property enthusiasts. A lifelong admirer of craftsmanship—inspired by his upbringing with a builder and craftsman father—Jeff is passionate about design literacy, preservation advocacy, and the cultural value of historic neighborhoods.
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Read the rest of the ongoing The Marstons: A California Story History Series.
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