Eleanor Esser Gorski
About
Eleanor Esser Gorski is CEO and President of the Chicago Architecture Center (CAC), the leading organization celebrating and promoting Chicago as a center of architectural innovation and education. A licensed architect, Gorski brings more than 25 years of experience in design, planning, and historic preservation. Since joining the CAC in 2022, she has broadened its focus to ensure its work benefits Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods. Previously, Gorski served as Acting Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and Executive Director of the Cook County Land Bank Authority. A fellow of the American Academy of Rome, she has received the Rome Prize, AIA Chicago’s Distinguished Service Award, and the ULI Chicago Breakthrough Award. She was named a 2026 Crain’s Chicago Business notable leader in Architecture and a 2026 Leadership Greater Chicago Daniel Burnham Fellow.