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Meet Lisa Blackadar!

Lisa Blackadar
Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Engagement
Development Office
 
 

 

 

This summer marks my 28th year in Lexington and I’m proud to call it home. I grew up on the east coast and spent most of my childhood on Long Island and then in New Jersey. It’s fun to get people to identify my accent. I’m proud of the fact that I naturally substitute “you all” for “you guys,” now!

I am an art historian by training and have worked in art museums for most of my professional life. I graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio and then got my graduate degree in art history from UK. After six years with the UK Art Museum, I am very pleased to be a part of the College of Arts & Sciences. The transition across campus from Singletary Center to POT has been easy due in large part to the warm welcome I’ve received from everyone. I really enjoy meeting new people.

 

What do you do in your spare time? Now that my daughter has her license and can drive her younger brother around, I find that I have more time to read, take Pilates classes, and go to the Farmer’s Market downtown with my husband.

Where is your favorite place to go/vacation? I am at my happiest when I am diving into the crystal clear water of Squam Lake, New Hampshire. It’s the perfect place for a vacation of swimming, boating, and hiking Rattlesnake Mountain. The spot was made famous in the old movie “On Golden Pond” with Katharine Hepburn and Henry Fonda.

What is your favorite food? I love all kinds of food, but my favorite is definitely ice cream!

What is a random/fun fact about yourself? I am a big sports fan and really enjoy following all the UK athletes and teams. Years ago, in college I was a division III athlete and played field hockey and lacrosse. I was an All-American in field hockey.

Have you had a brush with fame? Tell us about it. On a recent visit to New York, my husband struck up a conversation with Tom Wolfe. The author, dressed in a white suit and signature fedora, stopped to talk with us on the street as we left our hotel and he entered. He was very polite and asked how we liked the accommodations.