Leslie Jackson Chihuly (born May 1, 1961) is an American arts executive and philanthropist. She is the president and chief executive officer of Chihuly, Inc., which includes Chihuly Studio and Chihuly Workshop, both of which feature the artistic work and vision of her husband,

Dale Chihuly Dale Chihuly () (born September 20, 1941) is an American glass artist and entrepreneur. He is best known in the field of blown glass, "moving it into the realm of large-scale sculpture". Early life Dale Patrick Chihuly was born on September 20 ...

. In 2018, she was elected as chair emerita of the Seattle Symphony Board after serving nine years as board chair and implementing a number of revitalizing changes.Leslie Jackson Chihuly’s remarkable tenure as Seattle Symphony Board Chair
Seattle Symphony. (August 24, 2018). Retrieved Sept. 10, 2018. Those included filling the roles of CEO and music director with fresh talent, and taking the organization from financial challenge and organizational strife in 2009 to the stage of Carnegie Hall in 2014. Under her leadership, the symphony won three Grammy Awards and the Gramophone “Orchestra of the Year Award” in 2018. Leslie Chihuly serves on the boards of the Seattle Symphony,

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely follo ...

and the Pilchuck Glass School. In 2022, President Joe Biden announced his intention to appoint Jackson Chihuly to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts.

Early life and education

Jackson Chihuly was born in 1961 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is the daughter of Royal C. Jackson, a mechanical engineer, and Jo Morgan Jackson, an educator and volunteer, and has a younger sister and two older brothers. Royal C. Jackson died in 1993. Jo Morgan Jackson passed away in 2003. Jackson Chihuly grew up in Amarillo, Texas, and Guymon, Oklahoma. She started studying flute and piano at age 5 and continues to play both today. She attended numerous music and writing camps as a child, including a poetry camp in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, led by Poet Laureate Donald Hall in the 1970s. In 1979, Jackson Chihuly enrolled at

. She spent her junior year – 1981-82 – abroad at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. She graduated from Vassar with a BA degree in English in 1983. During her 20s – in the 1980s and early 1990s – Jackson Chihuly travelled throughout Europe, India, Thailand and China. She served as a production assistant on the PBS film “Democracy in Action,” a humorous take on American elections that featured Frank Zappa and Timothy Leary and aired in the United States and in Russia in 1992. Jackson Chihuly enrolled at the University of Washington's Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, graduating in 1993 with an MA in international studies. During her time there, she lived in Moscow, Russia, and interned at Moscow State University.

Career

Jackson Chihuly worked for the Goodwill Arts Festival as part of the

1990 Goodwill Games The 1990 Goodwill Games was the second edition of the international multi-sport event created by Ted Turner, which was held between July 20 and August 5, 1990. Following an inaugural edition in Moscow, the second games took place in Seattle, United ...

. The New York Times called the festival “more significant for opening artistic frontiers than reducing world tensions.” She joined Chihuly, Inc., in 1994, became president on December 3, 2008, and was named president and CEO on January 20, 2015. In her role as president and CEO, Jackson Chihuly ensures ongoing organizational strength to support Dale Chihuly in realizing his vision, encompassing all aspects of his art, from large-scale commissions to museum exhibitions, and individual artworks to editions.Leslie Jackson Chihuly Shares Management Advice with Students at UW Foster School of Business
Chihuly Blog. (June 27, 2018). Retrieved Sept. 10, 2018. Jackson Chihuly served as executive producer of ''Pilchuck: A Dance with Fire,''Pilchuck: A Dance With Fire Wins Emmy Award
Pilchuck Glass School. (June 27, 2016). Retrieved November 1, 2018. the 2015 documentary on the history of the Pilchuck Glass School. The film won a 2016 Northwest Chapter Emmy Award for Best Documentary. During her 15 years on the Seattle Symphony Board, nine years as its chair, Jackson Chihuly led the organization through a period of significant change, including the hiring of Music Director

Ludovic Morlot Ludovic Morlot (born 11 December 1973) is a French conductor. Early years Morlot was born in Lyon on 11 December 1973. As a youth, he trained as a violinist. He later attended the Royal Academy of Music, and began his studies in conducting in L ...

and President and CEO Simon Woods. She created innovative fundraising events, such as a concert featuring Macklemore & Ryan Lewis,

Russell Wilson Russell Carrington Wilson (born November 29, 1988) is an American football quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He previously played his first 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks. Wilson is widely regarded ...

and

Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, model and entrepreneur. She released her debut studio album, '' Goodies'' in 2004, which spawned four singles: " Goodies" (featuring Petey Pa ...

. In 2018, Jackson Chihuly spoke at the University of Washington's Foster School of Business as part of its Leaders to Legends series about numerous aspects of leadership, and the importance of sustaining the energy and enthusiasm necessary to inspire others.

Philanthropy

Together, Jackson Chihuly and her husband founded the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation in 2009 to fund public education regarding all forms of art, and to provide support to artists and arts organizations. The Chihulys are involved with numerous nonprofit and philanthropic organizations both locally and nationally, with a focus on health, education, music and the arts. Their foundation's beneficiaries include

Artist Trust Artist Trust is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting Washington artists working in all creative disciplines. Artist Trust provides artists the time and resources necessary to prosper. Since 1987 it has invested over ten million dol ...

, Hilltop Artists, Path with Art, the Hotshop Heroes program at the Museum of Glass and an artist lecture series at the University of Washington. In addition, the Chihulys have provided support to

JDRF JDRF is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that funds type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, provides a broad array of community and activist services to the T1D population and actively advocates for regulation favorable to medical research and approval o ...

, Seattle International Film Festival, Mary's Place, Seattle Arts and Lectures, Seattle Art Museum,

Tacoma Art Museum The Tacoma Art Museum (TAM) is an art museum in Tacoma, Washington, United States. It focuses primarily on the art and artists from the Pacific Northwest and broader western region of the U.S. Founded in 1935, the museum has strong roots in the c ...

, and KEXP-FM. Jackson Chihuly made a $2.5 million gift to the Seattle Symphony to create the Leslie Jackson Chihuly Chair in 2015, endowing the Symphony's executive leadership position in perpetuity. In 2017, the Chihulys donated five large artworks – valued at $3.4 million at the time – in

Tacoma Union Station The Union Passenger Station in Tacoma, Washington, United States, opened in 1911. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. It currently serves as a courthouse of the United States District Court for the Western District o ...

to the people of the United States via the U.S. General Services Administration. In 2017, Dale and Leslie Chihuly discussed Dale's struggle with bipolar disorder publicly together for the first time. Since then, Jackson Chihuly has stepped up her work to destigmatize mental illness. Among her efforts is participation in the national “Deconstructing Stigma” campaign through

McLean Hospital McLean Hospital () (formerly known as Somerville Asylum and Charlestown Asylum) is a psychiatric hospital in Belmont, Massachusetts. It is noted for its clinical staff expertise and neuroscience research and is also known for the large number of ...

. The project, which opened in December 2016, includes a photo exhibition and a collection of stories from mental ill people.

Honors

* In 2022, President Joe Biden announced his intention to appoint Jackson Chihuly to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts, which provides guidance on programming at the

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

Washington, DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...

. * In 2018 the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, College of Fine Art honored Jackson Chihuly for Extraordinary Achievements in the Arts. *In 2017 the Women's University Club of Seattle Foundation honored Jackson Chihuly with a “Brava! Award” for her service to others and her advocacy for the arts. * In 2015, she was given the “Women of Valor Award” by U.S. Sen.

Maria Cantwell Maria Ellen Cantwell (; born October 13, 1958) is an American politician and former businesswoman serving as the junior United States senator from Washington since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served in the Washington ...

, honoring women who inspire and build up the community. * In 2011 Jackson Chihuly was named as a “Women of Influence” by the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Personal life

Jackson Chihuly and her husband, Dale Chihuly, married in 2005.Payne, Patti (Feb 23, 2005)

''The Seattle Times''. Retrieved October 29, 2008. They have one son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chihuly, Leslie Jackson 1961 births Living people American arts administrators American philanthropists