Michael Adlerstein
Until recently, Michael Adlerstein was assistant secretary general of the United Nations and executive director of the United Nations Capital Master Plan, a 7 year program to restore and renovate the historic United Nations Headquarters in NYC. He was appointed to the position by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in July 2007.
Adlerstein obtained his architectural degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has experience in restoration of historical sites. Before joining the United Nations, he was the vice president and chief architect at the NY Botanical Garden, where he headed a multiyear restoration and design initiative. He previously served in positions throughout the National Park Service, where he was in charge of the planning, design and construction program for the northeast region, including partnership projects at Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Acadia, and Jamestown.
In the 1980s, he served as project director for the restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, the US Department of the Interior’s most ambitious historic restoration project. The success of the project led to his promotion to chief historical architect, and he was recognized as the national expert in the field of historic preservation.
Adlerstein was a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia, and has worked as a State Department consultant on preservation issues on projects, including the preservation of the Taj Mahal. He has won awards for his achievements and was made a fellow of the American Institute of Architects.