Jack Odell

Jack Odell, a retired architect and interior designer, was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up sailing on Lake Erie. He studied architecture at Kent State University before transferring to Montana State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture with honors in 1976. After a two-year internship in Canada, Jack moved to Seattle in 1978. He worked for Mithun Architects and Callison Partnership, where he led new design departments. In 1989, he launched his own firm specializing in residential design.

In 2013, Jack was diagnosed with aggressive Uveal Melanoma and given a dire prognosis. He underwent proton beam radiation, four surgeries, and nine years of targeted chemotherapy, ultimately becoming metastases-free. In 2013, Jack joined the board of A Cure In Sight, serving as VP and patient advocate for five years and speaking at numerous seminars. He now serves as a Director of Ocular/Uveal Melanoma Research, funding independent projects with his husband and ACIS.

In 2022, Jack experienced a tear in the sclera of his affected eye. Dr. Andrew Stacey (a UW Ophthalmologist) provided superb care before, during, and after enucleation surgery. Due to complications, Jack now proudly wears a prosthetic eye. He remains dedicated to speaking at conferences and committed to advancing a cure for Uveal Melanoma.