Galer has been actively engaged in historic preservation and adaptive reuse for more than three decades. Even before he finished his undergraduate studies, he completed building surveys and documentation for what is now Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. In his early 20s, Galer fostered numerous collaborations between architects, archeologists, historians, and curators. Before stepping in to helm the BPA in 2012, Galer was an independent consultant who worked across dozens of historic sites managing renovations and overseeing collections and exhibitions.