Lisa Junkin Lopez
Vice President, Learning and Community
Lisa Junkin Lopez oversees the creation and facilitation of Shedd Aquarium’s learning programming for schools, teachers, youth, teens, families and adults, while also fostering the aquarium’s connections to community organizations, schools, cultural institutions and more.
Education
M.A., art education, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago
B.A., art history, the College of William & Mary
Hobbies
“It’s exciting to be able to bring my love of informal learning and my passion for museums to Shedd Aquarium. I look forward to creating more engaging experiences—inside and outside of Shedd’s walls—that are fun, educational, and that motivate our audiences to take action for animals and our blue planet.”
Junkin Lopez leads the development of learning programs for all ages and backgrounds, infusing them with the mission and vision of Shedd Aquarium. She manages guest engagement programs for the public, bringing guests closer to the animals and efforts of the aquarium. She also oversees live programming at the aquarium, including Shedd’s aquatic presentation.
Junkin Lopez is an adept museum leader, public historian and educator. Before coming to Shedd, she was the executive director of the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. She helped to better align the museum, the birthplace of the founder of Girl Scouts of the USA, with Girl Scouts of the USA’s mission and objectives. This centered around developing tours and education programming focused on empowerment for girls. She also helped lead renovations that furthered accessibility and sustainability to help ensure the National Historic Landmark will continue to be enjoyed by future generations.
Before her work with the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace, Junkin Lopez curated innovative exhibits and programs as the interim director and associate director of the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. She was previously an education coordinator at the same facility, developing tours and programming for diverse audiences. She also served for four years on the board of editors for The Public Historian, the official publication of the National Council on Public History. Junkin Lopez holds an M.A. in art education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She earned her B.A. in art history from the College of William & Mary.