Michelle G. Magalong, PhD is a scholar-activist committed to elevating the stories of underrepresented peoples and places through historic preservation, planning, and public policy.
Dr. Magalong is Assistant Professor in the Historic Preservation program at the University of Maryland's School of Architecture. Planning and Preservation, where she previously served as a Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. She is affiliate faculty in Asian American Studies, Urban Studies and Planning, and American Studies. Dr. Magalong served as President for Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP), a national nonprofit organization. She received her BA in Ethnic Studies and Urban Studies and Planning at University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and MA and PhD in Urban Planning at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Michelle worked in preserving historical Asian American neighborhoods and sites including Historic Filipinotown, Little Tokyo, and Thai Town in Los Angeles, and Little Manila in Stockton, California. She has served on advisory boards including for the National Park Service, State of California, and City of Los Angeles on their respective theme studies and context statements on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She served on the board of directors for California Humanities. Michelle is a featured speaker at national conferences on historic preservation, advocacy, and the nonprofit sector, and was named "40 Under 40: People Saving Places" by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2018.
Current Courses Taught:
HISP635: Social and Ethnic Issues in Historic Preservation
HISP650: Historic Preservation Studio Workshop