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Dear CAC Family,

My name is Juanna Blackwell and I’d like to take a moment to formally introduce myself. I am Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC) and currently, I am serving as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO). I would be remiss to not thank Lynn Osmond again for her 25 years of dedication to our organization and wish her the best as she leads Choose Chicago, our city’s visitor and convention bureau. We are grateful that our connection to Lynn and our partnership with the city will only grow.

Growing up in Gary, Indiana my first connection to Chicago was coming over as a child every summer to watch the White Sox play. I realized the splendor of Chicago architecture when my mom took me to see the late Mayor Harold Washington as he lay in state at City Hall. I still vividly remember admiring the grand ceilings, arches and ornate details within the building. After moving here as an adult, I fell in love with the residential architecture – from the beautiful brownstones that line King Drive to the breathtaking mansions on Prairie Ave. My professional career has exposed me to industries from civil and environmental engineering to commercial and residential real estate, finance and operations. My professional passion has always been centered around “lifting while I climb.” If I find that I am the first person like myself at a particular table, I make sure that I will not be the last. I have always believed that my greatest responsibility as a leader is to ensure that I am developing more leaders along the way. Even in my most recent position at Ticketmaster, my personal passion led me to spend time mentoring children and convincing them that their opportunities are limitless if they would only begin to see in themselves what I already saw in them.

I am energized as the COO and Interim CEO to bring you even closer to the CAC through elevating the work of our talented team here. We are continuously focused on innovating how we drive our mission and meet the dynamic needs of our community, members, volunteers, docents and visitors. When I look at how our work has evolved, as we continue to bring you even closer to the world of architecture and design, I could not be more excited for our future, especially as we head into the summer.

Summer in Chicago is the best time of the year. It is also the busiest and most exciting time of the year for the team at the CAC. I invite you to visit the Chicago Architecture Center and check out our city model and new exhibition: Energy Revolution. While you are there, select from one of our 80+ docent-led walking tours or grab a seat on our award-winning river cruise aboard Chicago’s First Lady. One of my favorite things about the CAC is our robust programmatic and educational offerings. I love volunteering with community engagement efforts, like our Girls Build! camps and Engineering Fest, or attending one of our programs like our ongoing Scully Series. There is so much to explore this summer with the CAC.

It has been a pleasure meeting so many of you in person or virtually who share my enthusiasm for the CAC. I look forward to seeing new and familiar faces this summer and I thank you for your continued support of the organization.

Thank you,

Juanna Blackwell signature

Juanna Blackwell

COO & Interim CEO
Chicago Architecture Center