Urban designer Tiara Hughes has been appointed to the Commission on Chicago Landmarks by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Members are appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. Hughes is joined by Lynn Osmond, President and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center, and Paola Aguirre Serrano, Founder and Urban Designer of Borderless Studio.
In her work at SOM and beyond, Hughes is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of designers; she serves as the Public Relations Director on the National Board for the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and volunteers with both the NAACP ACT-SO program and the ACE Mentorship Program. Additionally, she is the founder of The First 500, a research initiative designed to raise awareness about African American women in architecture.