Leslie Chihuly

As chair of the Seattle Symphony and Seattle Symphony Chorale board of directors, Leslie Jackson Chihuly plays an active role in her community. Through her work as president of Chihuly Studio and Chihuly Workshop, she ensures ongoing organizational strength to assist Dale Chihuly in realizing his vision, encompassing all aspects of his art, from unique large-scale commissions to museum exhibitions, individual artworks and editions.

Leslie works to balance the creative energy and unique needs of an artist’s studio with the realities of managing a business with many employees serving clients, galleries, and museums worldwide. Leslie strives to position the Studio and Workshop for longterm success, creating and supporting an international legacy. Leslie believes in communication among staff to produce compelling art experiences for the public.

Leslie joined Chihuly Studio in 1994 as project director of Chihuly Over Venice, a five-country, two-year art project, which concluded in Venice, Italy, and was followed by an internationally-aired public television production. In addition to her work as chair of the Seattle Symphony board, Leslie is currently on the board of Pilchuck Glass School and on the national board of an educational mentoring organization called “Adventures of the Mind.” She also served on the boards of Ashoka Seattle and Seniors Making Art. Leslie has chaired fundraising campaigns for the University of Washington Masters of Fine Arts program in glass, The Hope Heart Institute, the Viola Chihuly Fund and has worked with the Seattle Art Museum and the Seattle Symphony on family-oriented arts events. In 2011 she was awarded a “Women of Influence” Award from the Puget Sound Business Journal.

The Chihulys are involved with numerous non-profit and philanthropic organizations both locally and nationally with a focus on health, education, music and the arts. Together they founded the Dale and Leslie Chihuly Foundation in order to inspire and educate the public regarding all forms of art, and to provide support to artists and arts organizations.