Keep Your Bags Packed: A Planner's Journey

2026 Distinguished Alumni Awardee Kat Imhoff

Lecture & Exhibition

Campbell Van Lengen Lobby & Dean's Gallery

10.16.26

12PM

Two people viewing an installation about the stories of the enslaved laborers at Montpelier. — **Imhoff led the making of the award-winning permanent exhibition "The Mere Distinction of Colour" installed at James Madison's Montpelier** in Orange, Virginia, which examines the lives of the people enslaved by the nation's fourth president. It won the prestigious 2018 Outstanding Public History Project Award from the National Council on Public History (NCPH) alongside multiple other national recognitions.

Keep Your Bags Packed: A Planner's Journey
2026 Distinguished Alumni Awardee Lecture
Kat Imhoff
Fri, Oct 16, 12 pm
Campbell Van Lengen Lobby

Exhibition
Fri, Oct 2–Mon, Oct 26
Campbell Dean's Gallery

Join the UVA School of Architecture in celebrating 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient Kat Imhoff, a nationally recognized conservation leader, preservation advocate, and transformative planner whose four-decade career has shaped some of America's most significant cultural, historic, and ecological landscapes.

Drawing on experiences that span conservation, historic preservation, public history, and environmental planning, Imhoff will reflect on a career dedicated to stewarding places of enduring value. From protecting Virginia's historic rural landscapes and advancing climate resilience in Albemarle County to leading landmark initiatives at James Madison's Montpelier, Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, and The Nature Conservancy, her work demonstrates the power of planning to connect vision, policy, and action. Within her myriad leadership roles, Imhoff has helped permanently protect hundreds of thousands of acres of land, broaden public understanding of American history, and inspire new models of stewardship for future generations.

In this lecture, Imhoff will share lessons from a lifetime of service as a self-described "change agent," exploring how planners, designers, and civic leaders can help communities navigate growth, preserve meaningful places, and address the challenges of a changing world.

Scenic vista of an expansive valley with mountains in the distance and a dramatic cloudy sky. A group of people sit and stand in the foreground. — In her role as State Director for The Nature Conservancy in Montana, Imhoff spearheaded one of the most ambitious conservation efforts in the history of the organization, creating a protected migratory corridor extending over 300,000 acres. Courtesy of K. Imhoff

About the Speaker

Kat Imhoff

Kat Imhoff (BCP '80, MP '86) is the recipient of the UVA School of Architecture's 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award. A nationally respected leader in conservation and historic preservation, she has served as President and CEO of James Madison's Montpelier, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, State Director of The Nature Conservancy in Montana, and Senior Conservation Fellow at the Piedmont Environmental Council. Throughout her career Imhoff has found herself front and center as a protector and storyteller for some of our nations most treasured land and historic sites.