Chicago, IL May 15, 2026 – Congratulations, Landmarks Illinois’ President & CEO Bonnie McDonald! President & CEO Bonnie McDonald has been selected for a 2027 Loeb Fellowship by the Harvard Graduate School of Design (HGSD) and will step down from her post leading the organization on July 24. McDonald has served as Landmarks Illinois President & CEO since 2012.
During her 14-year tenure, she has transformed the organization and the national preservation field – shifting the focus from the bricks and mortar of historic places to people and their connections to our built environment. Her work aims to advance building reuse as a systems-level response to climate change, housing, public health and spatial injustice, as detailed in her 2023 publication, The Relevancy Guidebook: How We Can Transform the Future of Preservation.
“Being named a 2027 Loeb Fellow is a distinct honor and significant opportunity to scale preservation practice toward greater social impact,” said McDonald. “I am deeply grateful to the Loeb Fellowship and the HGSD jury for this pivotal chance to evaluate, explore and renew my abilities as a preservation movement leader.”
Landmarks Illinois Chief Operating Officer Frank Butterfield will serve as interim President & CEO beginning July 25 until a permanent replacement has been selected.
Read the full press release on McDonald’s influential work and Landmarks Illinois’ next steps:
https://www.landmarks.org/press-room/mcdonalds-loeb-fellowship-resignation-press-release/.
