Michelle T. Boone

Michelle T. Boone is President & CEO of the Poetry Foundation based in Chicago, Illinois. Appointed in May 2021, Boone is the first woman and first African American to lead the organization. Previously, she was the Chief Program and Civic Engagement Officer at Navy Pier, a historic landmark and top cultural destination and attraction in the Midwest. In 2011, Michelle was appointed Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. During her tenure, she supervised the management of the historic Chicago Cultural Center and launched the Chicago Architecture Biennial in 2015, the city’s first international exhibition of contemporary architecture and design.

Her career includes working in television, film, and the recording industries. Boone is the recipient of multiple honors, including the Auditorium Theater’s 2024 Beatrice Spachner Award, given in recognition of her civic commitment to community and culture.