NOMINEES FOR 2025-26 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION


Taleen Barsoumian (Incumbent)

Taleen is a native Angeleno who has always had a deep appreciation for the preservation and restoration efforts of the city’s historical landmarks and sites. When she and her husband were searching for a home for their family, they landed on the Jewel City since it offered the charm and personality they were looking for while blending elements of the present with the past.

Shortly after joining TGHS, Taleen became a docent at the Doctors House Museum. The significant advances in medicine since 1888 are often brought up in her house tours since Taleen works in the regenerative medicine and advanced therapies space - a branch of medicine the Victorians would never have fathomed to exist.

She and her family live in a Spanish Colonial Revival that is listed as a contributor home to the first historic district designated in the City of Glendale


Lala Klopping

Born and raised in Glendale, Lala has lived all over the city, from El Miradero and Mariposa to Rossmoyne and Whiting Woods. As a kid, she loved riding the Beeline with her grandmother, swimming at the Verdugo pool, picnicking at Nibley Park, and stopping for Thrifty’s cones on the walk home from school. The quiet disappearance of familiar places over time deepened her awareness of the city’s changing landscape and how we relate to the built environment.

That sense of place shaped her work in construction, real estate, and property management, where she oversaw historic L.A. landmarks Engine Co. No. 28 and the Fine Arts Building—spaces where preservation and progress meet. In addition to TGHS, Lala is also a member of the Crescenta Valley Historical Society and the Los Angeles Conservancy. Her connection to Glendale informs her appreciation for preservation and adaptation in the Jewel City and beyond.


David Meunier (Incumbent)

Visiting a friend in Northwest Glendale 20 years ago, actor David Meunier was first introduced to Glendale’s unique character and history when he spotted the Moorish inspired Gates of Miradero at the top of his friend’s street. The curious landmark was never forgotten and years later, when he and his wife decided it was time to leave the architectural free-for-all of unincorporated Los Angeles, they went searching near those gleaming white gates and found a home that they would eventually place on the Glendale Register of Historic Resources.

Passionate about architecture and design, when not on set David continues to restore even the smallest of details on his Glendale home as well as undertaking the renovation of a medieval rowhouse in the south of France. Since moving to Glendale in 2014, David has been a member of TGHS and is active on its Preservation Advocacy Committee.


Byron Taylor

Byron Taylor is a third-generation Southern California native with a deep family history in the development of Los Angeles in the early-to-mid 20th century. Raised in rural Ventura County, Byron first moved to Glendale in 1993, and in 2017, settled with his partner, Cindy, in a 1932 Monterey Colonial Revival. The couple successfully applied for Mills Act designation in 2018.

Since then, Byron has played an active role in historic preservation, helping neighbors and friends research their own homes. He has also devoted himself to researching and cataloging Monterey Colonial homes throughout Glendale, and continues an in-depth study of the architect of his own residence, an early pioneer in earthquake-resistant reinforced concrete design.

Professionally, Byron has over 35 years experience in the insurance industry and currently serves as the Director of Development and Compliance with the California Insurance Guarantee Association. He is also a former volunteer Backcountry Ski Patroller in the Los Padres National Forest and a member of a Winter Search and Rescue team, affiliated with Cal OES. 

Since purchasing their home in 2017, Byron has developed a passion for California native plants and is currently transitioning their yard into a native woodland garden.


Ingrid Wilcox

Raised in the Midwest, Ingrid moved to the Los Angeles area in the late 1990s to expand her career in film and television while continuing to race sailboats semiprofessionally. She settled in the Adams Hill neighborhood 16 years ago as a renter and later seized the opportunity to purchase her home when it went up for sale.

Ingrid currently serves as Treasurer of the Adams Hill Neighborhood Association and has been an active community advocate for several years. She is also an amateur mycologist and a textile artist.


Simon Wright

Simon Wright, originally from Yorkshire, England, has lived in Glendale since 1993. A longtime supporter of The Glendale Historical Society and a strong advocate for historic preservation, Simon currently resides in a 1924 Mission Revival in the pending Verdugo Woodlands Historic District. Along with his partner Greg, Simon has dedicated considerable time and care to restoring their home, thoughtfully preserving its original architectural details and ensuring it remains a vibrant and contributing part of the neighborhood’s historic fabric.

Simon has volunteered at a number of TGHS events and has served as a home tour house captain.

His appreciation for Glendale’s historic charm motivates his dedication to preserving and celebrating the city’s rich architectural legacy, and he is committed to helping TGHS remain a dynamic organization and an effective voice for preservation.

Simon works as an attorney for a leading global reinsurance company.


The Nominating Committee

Taleen Barsoumian, Tricia Loper, Arlene Vidor

Per the TGHS Bylaws Article 5.2: If the number of people nominated for the Board is not more than the number of Directors to be elected, the officer presiding at the meeting may, without further notice or action, declare at the meeting that those candidates nominated have been elected. The TGHS Board will self-select officers in August 2025.