Philister Lukacevic

Philister Lukacevic (she/her/hers) is passionate about social justice, mental health, and community engagement. With over a decade of marketing and communications experience, she believes that her role is to tell the stories of the young people we serve and the impact of our work. Having started her marketing career at a social enterprise that supports young people with diverse learning needs, Philister witnessed firsthand how young people harness their impact, resilience, and advocacy skills to propel meaningful progress and shape a more promising future for themselves and their communities.

Before Eye to Eye, Philister was the Marketing and Communications Director at Peer Health Exchange. She built and managed workflows for all brand and communications strategies aligned with the organization’s strategic plan. She worked with young people to create a marketing strategy centered on their experiences as community leaders and advocates while celebrating their intersectional identities.

Philister serves on the boards of Housing Opportunity and Maintenance for the Elderly (H.O.M.E.), a Chicago-based multi-generational housing organization that supports older adults’ connection to the larger community, and Good Shepherd Gracenter, a recovery residence in San Francisco that offers a supportive and gently challenging program for women who wish to strengthen their early sobriety.Philister is a creative at heart and a resident playwright at Fehinty African Theatre Ensemble (FATE). She received her MFA in Writing for the Screen and Stage from Northwestern University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Video from Columbia College Chicago. In May 2011, her play Suicide received a reading at Goodman Theatre. In addition, Philister’s play Lost was produced as part of Regina Taylor’s State(s) of America series. She produced her first feature play, WRECKED, with FATE, and wrote and produced FATE’s 2019 mainstage play, A Ditch in Madagali. Besides writing and filmmaking, Philister is a thrill-seeker and enjoys traveling and exploring the outdoors with her dog and husband.

Why this work is important to me:

I want every young person who learns differently to know that their experiences and voices matter. My goal is to support and celebrate their successes while sharing how we can all be better allies in this work.