Kara Hamley O’Donnell is the Principal Planner for the City of Shaker Heights’ Planning Department where she staffs the City’s Public Art Task Force, manages large and small planning projects including corridor plans, traffic calming, preservation, recreation, and trails, including implementation grant writing. For 25 years, Kara was the Historic Preservation Planner and Senior Planner for the City of Cleveland Heights’ Planning Department, where she served as the staff liaison for Heights Arts on many public art projects, including its first, the Coventry PEACE Arch. She was a regular “server” at Heights Arts’ annual pancake breakfast. She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Miami University’s School of Architecture and a Master of Arts in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University. Kara lives in Cleveland Heights’ Coventry neighborhood and she loves to garden, walk Cleveland Heights neighborhoods and parks, and practice yoga.

Why I got involved:

“I’ve watched Heights Arts grow, expand and improve for decades, celebrating and supporting our local artists in ways large and small. I love to pop into the Lee Road space and see beautiful and varied visual art, hear live music, and pick up one-of-a-kind gifts. I’m especially excited about Heights Arts’ initiative to bring public art to Cleveland Heights neighborhoods.”