Lisa Junkin Lopez Email & Phone Number

As Vice President of Learning and Community at Shedd Aquarium, I lead the the vision and direction for five departments and 50+ staff and contribute to Shedd's senior leadership team. Together with dozens of community partners, we are working to address racial and socioeconomic inequity in education and access to nature, combatting disparities and developing the next generation of environmental champions. By 2030 we aim to provide opportunities for 1.85M young people to engage in place-based and project-based environmental education and action in their communities, from river habitat restoration to plastic reduction campaigns to advocacy for science-based climate solutions.

Savannah, Georgia

From 2015-2019, I worked as Executive Director of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace in Savannah, Georgia, considered the “front door” of the Girl Scout Movement. During that time I led the site through a significant period of change focused on increasing relevance and engagement for the 110-year-old organization. My team reimagined the site's tours and educational activities to serve core audiences including youth, teens, families and adults to deliver quality programs aligning with Girl Scouts' brand experience and mission. I and my team also planned and designed a $2.5 million renovation of the National Historic Landmark that successfully balanced dual priorities of historic preservation and accessibility, completed in 2021. I was awarded a Museums for America grant from the Institute for Museum and Library services for Access for All, a programmatic initiative building capacity for the Birthplace to become a learner and leader in disability access and inclusion. Through operational and site-wide assessments, user-expert labs, strategic improvements and the development of new educational programs, the initiative advanced a longstanding commitment within Girl Scouts to serve all girls, including girls with disabilities.

During my time on the Board of Editors I commissioned and edited a special issue on the future of historic house museums, featuring a diverse range of colleagues charting bold new interpretation and audience development strategies to enliven and sustain historic sites.

From 2008-15, I provided vision and leadership to the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), which is internationally recognized for addressing contemporary social issues through innovative exhibitions, programs and tours. Rooted in the legacy of the settlement house movement, I investigated such topics as immigration, education, community safety, labor and food security alongside an astonishing range of collaborators including community organizers, domestic workers, star chefs, gang members, rock bands, prison inmates, activists, sex workers, students and poets. Together, we co-authored innovative exhibits and programs that troubled conventional narratives to shed light on injustice and challenge audiences to shape a better world.

Chicago, Il

M.A., Art Education

B.A., Art History