Harvard Club of Northeast Ohio

Our speaker:

     In 2023, Lillian Kuri made history by becoming the first female president & CEO of the Cleveland Foundation, the world's oldest and one of the largest community foundations with $3 billion in assets. With over 25 years of executive and civic leadership experience, Lillian is known as an innovator, advocate, and coalition builder who develops strategic initiatives with transformational results.

     As President & CEO, Lillian is currently leading the Cleveland Foundation’s transformation with a visionary strategic plan to both create “A Vibrant Northeast Ohio Where No Cleveland is Left Behind” and a plan that shapes the "Community Foundation of the Future”. Previously, as executive vice president & chief operating officer, she spearheaded the foundation's historic move to Cleveland’s Midtown/Hough neighborhood.

     Since beginning her work with the foundation in 2005, Lillian has designed and led impactful, nationally acclaimed strategies to expand opportunities for Greater Cleveland residents. She developed and led a comprehensive revitalization of Cleveland’s Greater University Circle district, now recognized as a national model for anchor institution development strategies. She also co-founded the Evergreen Cooperatives, an innovative venture fostering community wealth through a network of employee-owned businesses. As vice president, strategic grantmaking, arts & urban design, she championed arts, culture, and placemaking – including the foundation’s arts mastery initiative that brings year-round, rigorous, mastery-based programs in theater, music, and visual arts to over 3,000 underserved children annually.

     Throughout her career, Lillian has been an influential advocate for equitable urban design, planning, and architecture in Cleveland. In 2022, Mayor Justin Bibb appointed Lillian to chair the Cleveland Planning Commission, making her the first woman to serve as chair in the city’s 226-year history. She also is a member of the Greater Cleveland Partnership Board of Directors .

     From 2000-2004, Lillian was the executive director of Cleveland Public Art. Prior to that, she managed Cleveland’s citywide plan for Mayor Michael R. White. 

     Lillian holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University, as well as a Bachelor of Architecture from Kent State University.