The following description comes from the event organizer.

For the five-year anniversary of the grand re-opening of McMenamins Elks Temple, Tacoma’s historic preservation coordinator, Susan Johnson will present on the building’s journey. Constructed in 1915 and nearly lost to demolition after decades of vacancy, Susan will cover its history and the extensive renovation undertaken to preserve and renew this stunning Tacoma landmark.

Susan Johnson is the historic preservation coordinator for the city of Tacoma. She has fourteen years' experience as an architectural historian with Artifacts Consulting, Inc. Susan has a master's degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Oregon and has worked on a wide variety of preservation projects in the Pacific Northwest, including McMenamins Anderson School in Bothell, Washington, as well as the Elks Temple in Tacoma.