Denise E. Gilmore
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President & CEO, Heritage Consulting Group, LLC
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Denise E. Gilmore is a nationally recognized leader in cultural and historic preservation, with a distinguished career dedicated to protecting and celebrating the stories, places, and people that shape our shared heritage. As the President and CEO of Heritage Consulting Group, LLC, Denise champions preservation strategies that are deeply rooted in equity, sustainability, and community engagement.
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Her leadership has been instrumental in advancing national preservation efforts through strategic consulting, advocacy, and transformational redevelopment projects. She currently serves as a consultant to Rhodes Heritage Group, supporting the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preserving Black Churches Initiative, a program of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. In this role, she provides programming, educational, interpretive, and partnership development services through CJAM Consulting.
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Past Professional Work
Birmingham, Alabama
Denise played a key role in stewarding the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, designated by President Barack Obama in January 2017. As part of this work, she led the $11.1 million restoration of the historic A.G. Gaston Motel—a listed Green Book site—on behalf of the City of Birmingham and in partnership with the National Park Service. The Motel reopened to the public in June 2023 after being closed for more than three decades.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Denise was appointed by Mayor Randall Woodfin to provide transitional leadership for the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. She successfully reopened the institution and collaborated with its Board of Directors to develop a long-term sustainable plan.
Washington, D.C.
At the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Denise used her extensive background in community development to advocate for preservation as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. Her efforts helped shift preservation toward a more inclusive and community-driven model.
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Kansas City, Missouri
In Kansas City, Denise led the redevelopment of the iconic 18th & Vine Jazz District. She oversaw a $5 million restoration of six historic structures that were adaptively repurposed as affordable housing, earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Her leadership attracted over $25 million in economic investments to the district, resulting in mixed-income housing, small business growth, infrastructure improvements, and expanded green spaces.
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Leadership, Education & Recognition
Denise is widely regarded as an authority in cultural and historic preservation strategies. She is a frequent speaker, workshop presenter, and technical advisor at national and international conferences, offering expertise on cultural sustainability, historic preservation, and community economic redevelopment.
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She holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Business Administration from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri, and a B.S. in Accounting and Business Administration from the University of Kansas. She also earned a Certificate in Community Economic Development from the University of Missouri–Kansas City’s Bloch School of Business.
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Denise Gilmore’s work continues to inspire and guide institutions, governments, and communities in preserving their most valuable cultural assets — ensuring that the past remains a vibrant part of the future.
