Entrepreneurial American Leadership Award
A leading expert in the fields of cultural organization development and preservation management.
The fields of cultural organization development and preservation management require in-depth knowledge of issues spanning from the arts world to strategic planning to community development. As a leading expert in these fields, Laurie Beckelman has brought unparalleled passion and skills to ensuring cultural assets are an integral and effective part of the future of communities. She has led countless cultural and non-profit organizations through the fray of zoning ordinances, fundraising, marketing, strategic planning and construction to become sound pieces of New York City’s rich urban fabric.
A graduate of Boston University, Beckelman is also an alumnus of the Loeb Fellowship at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Following this prestigious program, Beckelman’s major contributions to preservation and development in New York began with her appointment as Chair of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. After four years of working to preserve the City’s architectural and cultural heritage, Beckelman brought her interest in quality design and protection of vital buildings and spaces to LaSalle Partners, a firm specializing in real estate services and investment management. As Vice President of the firm, Beckelman managed the redevelopment plan for the Grand Central Terminal and guided the Empire State Development Corporation through the redevelopment of 42nd Street.
In 1995, Beckelman further solidified her connection to the cultural landscape of New York by assuming the position of Executive Director for the Joseph Papp Public Theater, before returning her focus to preservation and development by applying her talents to the World Monuments Fund as Vice President of the organization. Here, Beckelman used her passion and expertise in the field to protect artistic treasures all over the world. Following her tenure with the Fund, Beckelman assumed the role of Deputy Director for Special Projects for the Guggenheim Foundation, and served as Director of the New Building Program for the Museum of Art & Design at Columbus Circle, overseeing the construction of a $70 million cultural facility. Most recently, Beckelman co-founded Beckelman+Capalino in 2005, a strategic advisory firm for cultural institutions and not-for-profit organizations, where she has contributed guidance and services to multi-million dollar projects and organizations such as the Children’s Museum of the Arts, Dia Center for the Arts and the Museum of Chinese in America.
Laurie Beckelman has devoted herself to managing the development, strategic planning, fundraising, preservation, and community outreach of some of the most prominent cultural institutions in New York City and throughout the world. Her leadership has ensured the accessibility of arts, culture, history, and a high quality of life to all.