Neighborhood Walk: Keeping History Above Water
Sea-level rise, increasingly damaging storms, and flooding are threatening our communities. What can we do to plan for a more resilient future? This walking tour will identify some of the drivers behind flood vulnerability, approaches to protect historic properties from rising tides, and highlight opportunities and challenges facing Newport to unify resiliency and preservation initiatives citywide. While the tour will highlight case studies from NRF’s portfolio of historic properties, the strategies discussed will be applicable for many homeowners and will broach interventions small to large.
Presented as part of Keeping History Above Water 10th Anniversary celebrations.
May 14th & May 30th
Tickets are limited. Get yours here.
Know before you go: This tour begins at Storer Park and takes place rain or shine. This tour includes walking over uneven sidewalks.
About Telling Stories: Guided Tours.
Telling Stories: Guided Tours at NRF goes deeper into the legacy of Doris Duke through the exploration of her life—including how her work preserving, restoring, and sharing Newport’s cultural heritage impacts us today. Each tour takes a closer look at the people behind the places and collections we care for.
Lina Gonzalez, CEO and Founder of SpadXTech. Dr. González’s academic and professional journey spans the sciences (physics, chemistry, and biology) and applied disciplines such as mechanical and biological engineering. She has conducted extensive research on genetically engineering various microbes, including soil bacteria, and has hands-on expertise in automation and custom instrumentation development. Before launching SpadXTech, she was an educator who integrated real-world engineering and entrepreneurial experiences into her teaching.Under Dr. González’s leadership, SpadXTech has been part of influential programs such as the ACCEL inaugural program at Greentown Labs, the 2023 DOE IMPEL cohort, Venture For ClimateTech, and the Founders School. The company was an Eddies finalist in the Cleantech category through the Massachusetts Innovation Network, a participant in the TIE ScaleUp accelerator, and a top-five finalist in the MFN Sustainability Challenge. She also was awarded the MFN Sustainability Challenge.
Jill Palese, fashion designer and founder of Call To Action® Clothing. Jill is a 25-year veteran of the fashion industry, having served as head swimwear designer for leading national and international brands. After decades inside the apparel industry, she witnessed firsthand the environmental costs of fast fashion and resolved to redirect her career toward sustainable innovation. She uses a unique blend of eco-smart design, invention, and cross-disciplinary collaboration with scientists and artists who share a commitment to addressing climate change Call To Action has been featured at Miami Swim Week and in science-driven collaborations, including garments made from bioengineered leather with SpadXtech Labs, exhibitions at Greentown Labs, and Climatech Summits. Some of her current work transforms reclaimed and bioengineered materials into performance and gallery pieces. Recent projects include Seeing the Plastic Ocean, presented during Boston’s Climate Week 2024, where she designed six marine-inspired costumes from discarded plastics; Falling Leaves, a ballet with costumes made of bioengineered leather; and a custom sustainable jacket for artist Yu-Wen Wu, worn during her residency at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Her work has also been presented through lectures and panels, including MIT’s Cambridge Science Festival. Jill believes that fashion is a medium for storytelling, a means of creating positive change.
