School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Dr. Terri Lonier is Dean of the Career Center at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), a leading independent school of art and design that has been recognized as “the most influential art college in the United States.” Prior to joining SAIC in July 2015, Lonier served as Executive Director of DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center.

A pioneer in the solopreneur movement and a nationally recognized authority on microbusiness, Lonier is the author of five books on entrepreneurship. She is a sought-after advisor to Fortune 100 and high-tech companies such as Apple, Microsoft, HP, IBM, and Visa USA on strategy, product development, and innovation. She has also guided dozens of entrepreneurial companies through startup, growth, and exit.

Lonier’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fortune, Business Week, Fast Company, Inc., and other publications, as well as on CNBC-TV and radio programs worldwide. She is a frequent speaker at business conferences and events, and was honored as keynote presenter at the First International Conference for Women in Business in Tokyo.

Lonier received her PhD in Business History from New York University. Her research builds on her training in art and design (BFA, MFA), her deep experience with digital technology, and her interest in the impact of visual culture on business management, innovation, and strategy.