Blog

By Karen Bohr, Education Guide

Growing up in Oak Park, Lisa Ciota was immersed in architecture and an awareness of the built environment from the very beginning. The community’s commitment to excellence, originality of thought and diversity planted seeds for Lisa’s personal philosophy of “leading through wisdom and delivering excellence.” She loved that Frank Lloyd Wright had built his children’s playroom around a tree instead of cutting it down and that Ernest Hemingway had grown up there, too. That strong sense of place and what it represents continues to resonate with Lisa as she weaves the stories of our buildings and our city to go beyond merely informing to helping broaden understanding, create meaning, and shape perspectives of Chicago’s built environment.

Lisa’s sense of THIS place comes largely from having spent most of her life in the Chicago area. It has fostered two recurring themes throughout her professional and volunteer life—developing strong relationships and communication leading to understanding. With a finance degree from the University of Illinois-Champaign and an MBA from Northern Illinois University, she specialized in investor relations at McDonald’s Corporation and then SunCoke Energy. With additional expertise in corporate communications, Lisa started her own business to help companies tell compelling investor stories.

She has now brought those considerable skills to the CAC. A member of the inaugural class of Education Guides, Lisa leads student field trips with an eye toward helping them see each architecture story as a thread that when woven together with others creates the whole fabric of our lives in the city. In addition, she serves on the Volunteer Steering Committee and the Communications Committee, believing that active involvement behind the scenes enhances her commitment and gives her a better understanding of the organization. Also an Exhibit Host, Lisa hopes to join the next docent class, continuing her personal story of commitment, relationships and communication.

Architecture has always been in Lisa’s subconscious, and she is finding that some things are “supposed to happen” as she discovers connections and coincidences with fellow volunteers, staff and guests at the CAC. One such feeling of connection is Lisa’s favorite CAC memory so far. She and Jeff Zurlinden were leading a Science of Architecture field trip with Rush Day School students who have autism spectrum disorder. It was a “magical day where everything fell into place and we were all in tune as we played off of each other.” True connections were felt and created in those 90 minutes.

When asked what she does for fun, Lisa was quick to say that volunteering with the CAC is “for fun.” She continues to be involved in the National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) moderating panel discussions and consulting. Zipping around the western suburbs on her black Vespa is a favorite activity that lets Lisa interact with the environment. Lisa’s favorite building in downtown Chicago is the U.S. Bank Building at 190 South LaSalle. She likes post-modernism and old themes interpreted for contemporary purposes. The architect she finds most inspiring is Louis Sullivan, admiring the way he incorporated themes of nature into his designs and how his embellishments enhance the structures. Sounds like a good story thread to weave into the fabric of the CAC!