Honoring Rhoda Pierce with the 2026 Jack Blane Community Service Award

Each year, Highland Park Community Foundation honors an individual whose dedication, leadership and service have made a lasting impact on the Highland Park-Highwood community. Named for longtime public servant and community advocate Jack Blane, the award recognizes those who go above and beyond to strengthen the community and improve the lives of others. This year, HPCF honors Rhoda Pierce with the 2026 Jack Blane Community Service Award.

For more than five decades, Pierce has devoted her time, talents and leadership to civic engagement, education, the arts and public service. A former educator and longtime Executive Director of the Illinois Arts Council, Pierce spent more than 35 years advancing arts and culture throughout Illinois, building programs and partnerships that strengthened organizations across the state. Appointed by Governor JB Pritzker to serve as Chair of the Illinois Arts Council Board and now vice chair, she has championed the vital role the arts play in enriching lives and strengthening communities, reflecting a lifelong belief that education, the arts and civic engagement are deeply intertwined and essential to vibrant communities.

Shortly before receiving the award, Pierce visited a place that embodies much of that work: the Dan Pierce Garden in downtown Highland Park, dedicated to her late husband, former Highland Park Mayor Dan Pierce. Maintained through the efforts of the Highland Park-Highwood Sister Cities Foundation, the garden stands as a symbol of the values that have guided Rhoda throughout her life.

“It’s absolutely beautiful,” she said. “It’s another wonderful collaboration among the city, Sister Cities, and so many people who care about this community. It makes me happy knowing it’s there and being able to spend time in the garden.”

For Pierce, that sense of collaboration has shaped a lifetime of civic leadership. She has served as President of the Highland Park Library Board, chaired multiple civic commissions, and was the founding president of the Highland Park-Highwood Sister Cities Foundation. Today, she continues her public service as an elected trustee of the North Shore Water Reclamation District, representing Highland Park, Highwood and western Lake Forest.

For Pierce, community has always been about bringing people together.

“I feel that the more people who become involved in helping others, the better off we all are,” she said. “I’m drawn to people who are interested in serving the community, and I’ve been fortunate to meet so many people through that. The more people I can bring together to help and be involved, the happier I am.”

That ability to connect people and inspire collaboration is one of the qualities that has earned Pierce the admiration of many throughout the community.

“It is especially meaningful to celebrate Rhoda Pierce as she receives the Jack Blane Community Service Award,” said HPCF Board Member Alyssa Knobel, herself a past recipient of the honor. “Rhoda and I share a birthday, and I’ve always thought of her as my better twin, but more importantly, I have been fortunate to share in her friendship, guidance and example over many years.”

“While I received this award before Rhoda, I actually stand on her shoulders,” Knobel said. “Her dedication to others, her generosity of spirit, and her unwavering commitment to making our community stronger have inspired me and countless others.”

Pierce continues to foster cultural connections through her work with Sister Cities and other civic partnerships. One recent example is a collaboration between the North Shore Water Reclamation District and water officials in Puerto Vallarta through Sister Cities, combining environmental stewardship, education and international exchange.

Her commitment to service has also earned recognition from organizations including the YWCA, The Art Center Highland Park, and the City of Highland Park. She is a graduate of Lake Forest College and a longtime member of its Board of Trustees.

Despite her many accomplishments, Pierce remains modest about her influence.

“I honestly just go about my daily business,” she said with a laugh. “I’m involved in different projects with different people in this community. When people say they’re inspired by my leadership, I wonder, ‘How can that be?’ I’m just waking up in the morning and doing my thing.”

For Knobel, however, Pierce's impact is clear.

“Rhoda exemplifies what it means to embrace community,” she said. “She shows up, brings people together, and quietly elevates everyone around her. She has set an extraordinarily high bar for service and leadership, and this honor reflects the profound impact she has had on our community and the many lives she has touched.”

Receiving the Jack Blane Community Service Award came as a surprise to Pierce.

“First of all, it was an enormous surprise,” she said. “I knew Jack and always admired the work he did. To follow in his footsteps is really exciting and deeply meaningful to me.”

Join in honoring Pierce from 5-6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 31, at The Art Center Highland Park. RSVP by July 23 at bit.ly/4uBFOql or to Terri Olian, at terri@hpcfil.org or (847) 433-4100. There is no cost to attend.