Head of Chicago Academy of Sciences & Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to be Recognized at Nature Symposium

RIVERWOODS, IL - Every year at the Smith Nature Symposium, Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods selects a local environmental leader to celebrate with the Award for Distinguished Leadership in Nature. The award goes to an individual who has demonstrated commitment and passion to supporting the natural world and has worked to provide opportunities for people to learn about and connect to nature. This year, Brushwood Center is presenting the Award for Distinguished Leadership in Nature to Deborah Lahey, President and Chief Executive Officer of both the Chicago Academy of Sciences and Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

In addition to leading Peggy Notebaert and overseeing the 160-year-old scientific collections held by the Chicago Academy of Sciences, Lahey serves on numerous education, nature, and science-focused boards, trusts, and alliances. Her leadership at Peggy Notebaert has seen record public attendance and the museum becoming the sixth most attended institution of the Museums in the Parks alliance. Her tenure at Notebaert has seen the Museum's successful efforts to restore endangered and threatened butterflies, Blanding's turtles, and snake species, as well as the introduction of art exhibits into the museum. Lahey's leadership has also provided notable increases in museum programming that connects participants to science and nature, and the museum now provides more hours of hands-on science learning for students than any other museum in Chicago. Brushwood Center is honored to recognize Lahey for her past and continued work as a leader in the promotion and protection of nature.

34th Annual Smith Nature Symposium: Saturday, May 20, 5:30-9 PM

The Smith Nature Symposium is an annual benefit for Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods. This year's guests will enjoy a garden party, NBC 5's Emmy Award-winning Art Norman as MC, music by the Carl Noble Trio, and featured art exhibition, Endangered Beauty by Carol Freeman. Guest's will also enjoy a keynote address by acclaimed journalist and award-winning author, Florence Williams. Williams will be focusing on research from her new book, The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier and More Creative.

Registration for Smith Nature Symposium: Saturday, May 20, 5:30-9 PM

Individual tickets for the Garden Party and Keynote are available for $225, Tickets for dessert and the Keynote only are $25. To register, call 224-633-2426 or visit www.BrushwoodCenter.org.