Elizabeth O’Donnell graduated from the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture of The Cooper Union after studying at the University of Minnesota and Antioch College. A member of the Adjunct Faculty since 1984, Professor O’Donnell taught the second year of the structures sequence developed by Professor Emeritus Ysrael Seinuk.  She has also taught ARCH 185 Crossings and has taught with the ARCH 131 Design III studio team. She currently teaches ARCH 122 Structures I.  She frequently serves on design reviews, most recently at Barnard College, Pratt Institute, and the School of Architecture at City College. In practice she has completed numerous projects in New York City including medical offices, offices for non-profit foundations, new loft residences, and building additions, with an emphasis on the adaptive reuse of existing buildings and sites. She has served as consultant to artists for site specific projects including Yoko Ono and Tadashi Kawamata. Her work has been published in Bauwelt, Interior Design Magazine, Conran’s Design Book and Occulus. Recognition includes an award for Design Excellence from the NYC Chapter of the American Institute of Architects and an award for Design Distinction from International Design magazine.

O'Donnell is on the advisory board of the web start-up “Sweeten”, and is a member of the Town of Taghkanic Zoning Board of Appeals. She has served as Associate Dean since 2002, and is editor of the School’s annual newsletter Architecture at Cooper.