Janette Blackburn
Principal
Shepley Bulfinch
Janette Blackburn, FAIA, LEED AP, is a Principal at Shepley Bulfinch and a leader of the firm’s higher education and library design practice. As an award-winning architect and planner, she excels at building consensus among diverse client constituents. Her work is informed by a deep understanding of teaching and learning environments and the variety of programs supporting community life on campus.
Throughout her career, Janette has explored the crafting of spaces that respond to the activity patterns of their occupants. Her appreciation for the ways people interact, learn, and create informs her approach as she creates versatile, memorable places uniquely tailored to their communities and designed to remain relevant for years to come.
At Shepley Bulfinch, Janette sets the stage for project excellence through coaching and leading project teams, fostering creative thinking and a culture of openness and respect. She is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and the Boston Society of Architects, as well as the Society for College and University Planning, where she serves as a representative on the North Atlantic Regional Council. She speaks, writes, and teaches on a local and international level. Most recently, she co-authored “The Designer’s Lens: How Architects See Space” in the 2022 publication Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Janette was the 2018 recipient of the Ball State Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Architecture and Planning and was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2019.
Throughout her career, Janette has explored the crafting of spaces that respond to the activity patterns of their occupants. Her appreciation for the ways people interact, learn, and create informs her approach as she creates versatile, memorable places uniquely tailored to their communities and designed to remain relevant for years to come.
At Shepley Bulfinch, Janette sets the stage for project excellence through coaching and leading project teams, fostering creative thinking and a culture of openness and respect. She is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and the Boston Society of Architects, as well as the Society for College and University Planning, where she serves as a representative on the North Atlantic Regional Council. She speaks, writes, and teaches on a local and international level. Most recently, she co-authored “The Designer’s Lens: How Architects See Space” in the 2022 publication Designing Libraries for the 21st Century. Janette was the 2018 recipient of the Ball State Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Architecture and Planning and was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2019.