Board of Trustees

Erika Lowe Mullins

Chicago; Appointed March 2024

Trustee Erika Lowe Mullins is the Executive Director of Philanthropy for The Art Institute of Chicago where she leads the Major Gifts team. Her leadership emphasizes the critical need to both build and maintain strong relationships while also leading with a metrics-driven mindset. She secures private philanthropic support for the museum’s special exhibitions, art acquisitions and capital campaign projects, including buildings and the endowment.

She previously served The Art Institute as the Philanthropic Advisor for Major Gifts, as well as a tenure at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Prior to joining The Art Institute, Lowe Mullins held positions with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Originally hailing from the Quad Cities, Lowe Mullins earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in Communication from Western Illinois University where she served as the faculty-elected Departmental Scholar and received the Wayne N. Thompson Award. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Carolina.

Her volunteer experience includes leadership roles within The Junior League of Chicago, and she served on the WIU Alumni Council for two terms, ending her service in 2020.

As an undergraduate, Lowe Mullins was active in several student organizations, serving as Vice President of the Student Government Association, and was a member of Delta Zeta sorority.

She and her husband Travis reside in Chicago with their young son. Her family loves Chicago’s vibrant restaurants, lakefront parks, museums, and travel. 

Email: ER-LoweMullins@wiu.edu