Jessica Flores

Jessica Flores serves as an Interior Design Instructor at Michigan State University's School of Planning, Design and Construction, integrating practical preservation expertise into academic instruction.

Her educational foundation includes:

• Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Ohio University
• Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Eastern Michigan University
• Associate of Applied Science in Hands-on Building Preservation and Construction Technology from Belmont College

Flores' professional focus centers on sustainable rehabilitation of historic structures, traditional building techniques, and community-centered preservation. She emphasizes contextual understanding of the built environment through her 2016-founded consultancy Preservation Forward, which specializes in economic development and adaptive reuse of heritage buildings while prioritizing place-based relationships.

With LEED professional accreditation, Flores brings environmental sustainability expertise from her prior role as Community Outreach and Historic Building Specialist at the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office. She actively shapes preservation policy as Chair of the East Lansing Historic District Commission and through advocacy on Capitol Hill, while maintaining leadership roles in the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, and Rust Belt Cities preservation initiatives.