Who We Are
The Painter’s Folly Preservation Alliance is a grassroots community advocacy group dedicated to the preservation of Painter’s Folly, a National Register of Historic Places property and principal Chadds Ford landmark, located at 1421 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317.
Mission & Vision
The Painter's Folly Preservation Alliance's mission is to encourage the preservation and maintenance of Painter's Folly as a local and nationally significant landmark, and to promote the house's and property's architectural and cultural significance to the public through research and documentation, community outreach, media relations, and professional partnerships.
Our vision is that Painter’s Folly's historical, architectural, and artistic significance endures through a partnership that stewards the site as a public resource.
Meet The Team
Professor Ed Worteck
Co-Founder
Professor Ed Worteck is a photographer, educator, and preservationist with decades of experience in art history and visual culture. A former Professor of Art History, Studio Art, Communications, and Media Studies at Goucher College, Worteck also served multiple terms as Chair of the Art and Art History Department and taught at the Yale Norfolk School of Music and Art. His work as an artist and scholar has been recognized through fellowships, including the Ucross Foundation Artist Fellowship. As co-founder of the Painter’s Folly Preservation Alliance, Worteck brings deep knowledge of American art history and the Brandywine tradition. Worteck previously served as the Painter’s Folly Liaison to Chadds Ford Township in 2025. Professor Worteck received a 2026 Preservation Award from the Delaware County Heritage Commission for his work on Painter’s Folly.
Pam Cawood Rizzo
Co-Founder
Pam Cawood Rizzo is a local historian with many years of expertise in researching historic properties. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Concord Township Historical Society since 2018, where she chairs the Research Committee. She is also a founding member of the Brandywine Hundred Historical Society in nearby New Castle County, Delaware, where she serves on the Board of Directors and as co-chair of the Research Committee. A graduate of the University of Delaware, she is currently pursuing a Graduate-level certificate in Historic Preservation with the University of Delaware’s Center for Historic Architecture and Design (CHAD).
Emma Leuschner
Co-Founder
Emma Leuschner is a public history researcher specializing in local history, cultural landscapes, and preservation advocacy in Chester and Delaware Counties. Her work has been recognized through multiple Delaware County Heritage Commission Preservation Awards and publications, including Pennsylvania Heritage, The Mensa Bulletin, and the National Register of Historic Places. She co-founded the Painter’s Folly Preservation Alliance in 2025 and has led research, public outreach, and preservation initiatives surrounding the site. Emma currently serves on several historic site and preservation boards and is pursuing a degree in History at Penn State University.
Lauren Attwell
Summer 2026 Intern
Lauren Attwell recently graduated from Skidmore College with a BA in Art History and Anthropology. Her experience ranges from contemporary art curation to classical and historical archaeology, along with a summer internship at the Christian C. Sanderson Museum. Lauren is looking forward to working with the Alliance and aiding in the historic preservation of Chester and Delaware County histories.
Recognition and Research
2026 Preservation Pennsylvania's Pennsylvania At Risk List: Painter's Folly
2026 Delaware County Heritage Commission's Preservation Awards
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Individual Achievement Award: Professor Edward Worteck
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A. Richard Paul Lifetime Achievement Award: Helen Murray Sipala
Winter 2026 Extant Magazine: Places to Save: Painter's Folly
