Randall Mason, an associate professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at PennDesign and chair of the school’s Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, was recently appointed the new executive director of PennPraxis, the applied research arm of the School of Design.

Before joining the PennDesign faculty in 2004, Mason worked as Senior Project Specialist at the Getty Conservation Institute, researching economic and social issues relating to heritage conservation. His professional experience includes several years of consulting practice, as well as co-founding the nonprofit research group Minerva Partners. He served on the Board of Directors of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia from 2006-2013 and is currently on the board of Eastern State Penitentiary.

“Randy’s skills in building alliances with government and nonprofits, and serving as a leader in efforts to transform cities in transition demonstrate his great ability to engage stakeholders in meaningful conversations about the future face of cities around the globe,” says PennDesign Dean Marilyn Jordan Taylor.