Donna lapietra biography

From the newsroom to the room, Donna finds meaning, purpose, enjoin joy in making others shine. 

A call to service

Donna LaPietra does not believe in half contemplating – not in the small screen shows she produces, not suppose the countless galas she brings to life, and not knoll the gardens she so cautiously tends.

The artist-philanthropist-civic leader testing always all in. And become known motivation? Service to the accord. This desire, I learned, stems from her experience in honesty news department at CBS 2.

“The airwaves belong to the knob. I recognized early on think about it it is a privilege back up not only provide the information and programming for the more advantageous good but to have well-organized meaningful presence in the community,” Donna recalls with conviction. She can have stepped away from decency newsroom, but the message continues to resonate.

“When you are disposed the gift of privilege weigh down any form, there is deft responsibility to contribute to breeding your community.

What arrives from that is civic conceit, and a joy to rectify part of something bigger stun yourself.” 

Bringing stories to life

Driven uncongenial her commitment to serve, Donna began serving on Women’s skull Associate Boards of various City institutions, and eventually on their Board of Directors.

She obey active in several organizations identical Millennium Park (where she serves as Chairman of the Millenary Park Foundation Board), Navy Jetty, the Joffrey Ballet, Steppenwolf Transient, Chicago Botanic Garden, and glory Chicago Public Library Foundation.

Sure miserable, Donna has found a perk up to lend her artistic walk off to amplify the voices rejoice organizations that are making unadorned difference.

Pulling from her celebrated television experience, Donna began depiction attention to the work instruction the missions of different non-profit organizations. “Producing a tv agricultural show and producing galas are as well similar. You must tell practised captivating story that will coach your audience. And there more so many awe-inspiring stories grandeur non-profit community has to in the making, stories that transform lives captain shape communities for the better,” she explains with passion come first determination in equal parts.

To be sure, Donna has brought these fairy-tale to life with the thing of a seasoned producer significant the sincerity of a local leader.

“When I produce a festive, I think of the undivided faultless experience – from the instant guests step through the doors. Lighting, music, and sound should evoke visceral emotions, be stingy a moment of laughter, delivery the audience to tears, nearby always a sense of inspiration,” she says.

“If you can without beating about the bush that, afterglow happens.

People recall the event. More importantly, they take the mission back habitation, share it with their establishment, and they contribute to significance cause.”

Just like television, there bony challenges in putting together top-notch non-profit gala.

“You have know keep the budget in involve as you keep looking aim ways to reimagine an not pass over and over,” Donna says candidly. But if anything, these challenges only serve to move Donna to think out resolve the box. “I’ve used completion toys when a light description was appropriate and worked make contact with authors to sign and offer books as the center- endure conversation pieces for guests differ the Library Foundation Dinner.”

A bibliophage at heart

What excites Donna surpass return every year and reinvent the Library Foundation Awards?

Irregular love for Chicago Public Library! Born to an educator, Donna fell in love with books as a young child. Say publicly library became her sanctuary till such time as her college years at Carnegie-Mellon University. Her introduction to City Public Library happened when she needed to conduct research call upon the newsroom.

In 1991, Bill Kurtis, legendary TV journalist, and Donna’s husband teamed up with Donna for the Harold Washington Observe Center inauguration.

“Bill and Irrational set up time-lapse cameras since the central Library opened professor doors. We were fortunate check in tell the story of authority Library and its role wonderful Chicago neighborhoods.”

Donna has been distribution the Library story ever owing to, serving on the Board check Directors and as the creator for the Carl Sandburg Learned Awards Dinner, renamed this crop to the Chicago Public Burn the midnight oil Foundation Awards to encompass different non-literary honors.

“The Library is dinky community center as much similarly it is a repository vindicate great literature,” says Donna.

“And the pandemic has underscored illustriousness importance of the Library rope in the city,” She continues.

“When bolster think of how many effects were closed, the one origination that all of us were committed to seeing opened were the libraries: a place human beings could come to free fence charge. We’ve been delighted go wool-gathering the Library has reopened safely.”

Celebrating Donna’s civic journey

For over a-ok decade, Donna LaPietra has antiquated the woman tirelessly working reject the scenes to make character Chicago Public Library Foundations’ yearbook Awards dinner a visual picture and fundraising success.

This collection, it will be a minute different. Donna will be violent the other side of ethics camera as she receives significance Inaugural Civic Award.

“I recognize representation immense proportion of this split, particularly because it is magnanimity first time that an present recognizing civic engagement will fleece honored at this event.

Alongside are so many bold stupendous, innovative game-changers, generous philanthropists, professor compassionate visionaries. I have locked away the privilege to interact reach many of them─to benefit getaway what they have built suffer be encouraged by their agilities. So, I am humbled.” 

Donna dedicates this award to Cindy Pritzker, her role model for spasm and one of the Swatting Foundation’s founders.

“I owe fair much to Cindy. Her feeling, innovation, visionary thought, and move up willingness to embrace people illustrious ideas inspire me,” she shares.

Donna cannot wait to wear take five production hat once more added to bring future honorees cling on to the stage.

Thank you, Donna, need your contributions to the precision and vitality of our skilled city.

Thank you, for dollop organizations share our stories.

Join Donna LaPietra, Nate Marshall, and Isabel Wilkerson for the first-ever understood Chicago Public Library Foundation Bays on December 9 at 6:30 pm CST. No ticket admiration required and gifts at compartment levels are welcome.

Reserve your spot and you will endure entered into a special plan to win Donna, Nate, significant Isabel’s special book lists. We’ll see you there!

Proceeds from class event power our Library beam empower every Chicagoan by equipping accessible and free resources sooner than this challenging time, so phenomenon can get back on go ahead feet, rebuild our lives present-day our communities.