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By Brent Hoffmann,  Class of 2005

“Scuba is another form of sightseeing,”, said river docent and scuba diver Judith Kaufman. “On a Chicago River architecture tour, I can have an audience of up to 250 onboard. But those who see me during a sea dive also will see fish or my son and just two or three other divers,” continued Judith, who’s logged more than 300 dives all over the world. She’s a founding member of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Scuba Divers and certified in navigation and search and rescue as well as under-water photography. “On an early morning dive in the Galapagos my audience was a shark beginning to circle me, looking for breakfast,” she said. “But, being between my metal tanks and the neoprene suit, I looked unappetizing, and it soon left.

“In 2017, when I led a private, small-group river tour on the Lady Grebe, my audience included the world’s champion mixed martial arts fighter. He was a young Mexican in his early 20’s. The ‘champ’ was very interested in architecture and in Chicago, and he spoke English. So, we enjoyed a lovely cruise.”

From NY to Chicago
Judith grew up in the Bronx borough of New York City and in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan. She earned a B.S. in math at Alfred University in Alfred, New York. “I taught math at a grade school for a year-and-a-half in Oceanside, Long Island.”

Judith followed up with an MBA at Roosevelt University in Chicago, and qualified as a certified fund-raising executive. “I joined the Illinois Institute of Technology,” continued Judith. “As the director of major gifts and planned giving, I met many of the early alumni and heard their stories of the history of IIT. I enjoyed working in a Mies-designed building that awakened my interest in architecture.”

In 1999 she moved north to serve as the vice president for development of the Chicago History Museum. Eventually, she returned to Roosevelt University – this time, as the vice president for advancement.

“In 2004 I accepted a position at Purdue University, and commuted to the Calumet campus in Hammond, Indiana,” she said. “I was the vice chancellor for advancement, meaning I was responsible for fundraising, marketing and communications, alumni relations, university events, and the website.”

Appreciation of Architecture
“My five years at IIT resulted in an understanding and appreciation of architecture and a deep respect for Mies van der Rohe,” explained Judith. “In 2010 I took some tours from the Chicago Architecture Foundation and, soon after, completed the docent training.” She is certified to lead the Aqua and Lake Shore East, Architecture of the Magnificent Mile, the Rookery (as co-tour director), and the 875 N. Michigan Ave. building (also as co-director) tours. Her favorite is the River Cruise, which she leads more than 100 times a season.

“On the river, I adjust my presentation to the interests of my guests,” she said. “I try to be informative as well as entertaining.” It’s paid off. Over the years, Judith’s won many compliments from tour takers. For example, as published on TripAdvisor: “Great tour with Judith as our guide! She was incredibly knowledgeable and funny”… “Judith was my favorite part. She made the experience worthwhile and provided a well-rounded and enjoyable experience”…“I gave it 5 stars because of Judith the speaker was awesome. The tour was great, lots to see and learn in the canal and Judith explained everything”… and “A special word of mention for our guide Judith who was a bundle of energy and made the cruise an absolute pleasure.”

In addition to tours, she has served on the Docent Council and is completing her second term as the council secretary. She was active on the Education Committee for eight years, chaired Docent Appreciation Night in 2012, and chaired our All-Docent Day Zoom meeting in 2020. In recognition of her many tours and leadership, Judith was awarded the Docent Service Award.

Storytelling, Too
“Before the pandemic, my partner and I traveled extensively. I’ve dived in Aruba, Fiji, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, the Red Sea, and the Great Barrier Reef off Australia,” she said. “Wherever we travel, I enjoy taking tours and secretly evaluating the guides. In October, we’ll again attend the annual storytelling festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee. It’s three days of hearing world-class storytellers present their stories. Learning from storytellers makes me a better docent.”

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