About Us

The Palm Springs Modern Committee (PS ModCom) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modern architecture and design. We accomplish this through education, advocacy for threatened buildings, promotion of heritage tourism, and the celebration of successes in preservation and adaptive reuse. Members include desert residents and non-residents alike.

Enjoy PS ModCom’s 20 Year Overview narrated animated slide show. Super Cool!  Click image at right.

PS ModCom Committees

All members are encouraged to join one or more of these important committees. Only with active volunteer participation can we hope to achieve our ambitious goals!

Please click here to find out more about volunteering with us.

Education Committee (Joan Gand, Chair) 


The Education Committee reaches out to the community with programs designed to promote the appreciation and preservation of Desert Modernism.  Their popular in-school program teaches local middle and high school students about the principals of modern design, and to build scale models of local buildings or design their own MCM home.  EdCom oversees and chooses the recipients from local high schools for the Robert Imber Scholarship Fund to help students who plan to study in the field of architecture and design.  EdCom produces and manages the February “Architecture Month” exhibition at the Palm Springs Library Center, and is constantly developing other exciting educational outreach projects.

Advocacy Committee (Peter Moruzzi, Chair) 


The Advocacy Committee coordinates the various preservation efforts, both new and ongoing, that we’re following in the Coachella Valley. This includes working behind the scenes with city officials, property owners, preservation architects and others in forging agreeable solutions to complicated preservation problems. In other cases, advocacy efforts must be more public with letter-writing programs, city council testimony, and massive publicity campaigns conducted in order to achieve our goals. Litigation is considered the last resort, but, to be credible, we must be prepared with adequate funds in case a lawsuit is necessary

Outreach & Events Committee (Nickie McLaughlin, Chair)


Currently the Outreach & Events Committee manages all aspects of Membership and produces the Annual PS ModCom Preservation Awards, Gala Benefit and all home tours. Outreach also manages PS ModCom’s booth at the Palm Springs Modernism Show & Sale (October and February shows) and works with neighborhood groups on education about the benefits of preservation.

PS ModCom Board Members

Meet The Board