Special to the Sun
Welcome Jacqueline Vanegas
Jacqueline Vanegas joins the Office of Historic Preservation as a Preservation Planner. Within her role, she oversees the South End, St. Botolph, and Bay Village historic districts.
She holds a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Florida and an M.A. in History from Florida State University. Before moving to Boston, Jacqueline was active in developing inclusive and sustainable historic preservation initiatives in the state of Florida. She was awarded the Historic Preservation Scholar Award by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation in 2025. Jacqueline is fluent in Spanish and has working proficiency in Portuguese.
In her free time, she enjoys exploring Boston’s coffee shops, playing soccer, and cheering on her alma mater’s football team – the Florida Gators.
Welcome Commissioner
Lisa Tharp!
The Office of Historic Preservation welcomes Lisa Tharp as the newest Commissioner serving on the Back Bay Architectural Commission. She was nominated by the Neighborhood Association of The Back Bay. Lisa is the Principal of Lisa Tharp Design, an award-winning Boston-based studio she founded in 2011, recognized for its full-service approach, sustainable furniture collection, and eco-friendly paint line. Her work has been widely published and honored with induction into the New England Design Hall of Fame, multiple Bulfinch Awards, Best of Boston Home, and the Metropolis Planet Positive Award. A member of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art and formerly of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay’s Architecture Committee, she is also an Architectural Digest Pro Featured Designer. Prior to establishing her practice, she held senior leadership roles at Time Life Video & Television, HBO, and Kraft General Foods, where she drove nationally recognized marketing, media, and product innovations.