Please Touch Museum Gets New CEO

NEWS AND OPINION > PHILLYNOW

By PW Staff

Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Sep. 8, 2009

Hot off the press release:

PLEASE TOUCH MUSEUM SELECTS LAURA FOSTER AS PRESIDENT AND CEO
Longtime museum executive to succeed Nancy Kolb, who retires in November

PHILADELPHIA, PA, Sept. 8, 2009: Please Touch Museum, the Children's Museum of Philadelphia, today announced the selection of Laura Foster as its next President and Chief Executive Officer. Ms. Foster, who has been with the museum since 1991 and currently serves as Executive Director, will succeed Nancy D. Kolb, who retires on November 20 after exactly 21 years on the job. Ms. Kolb joined Please Touch on Nov. 20, 1988.

"As Nancy Kolb steps down after 21 years of incredible service, Please Touch Museum is thrilled to have Laura Foster in place as our next President and CEO, " said Elizabeth Cartmell, Chair of the Board of Directors. "Nancy and Laura worked side-by-side to bring the museum to Memorial Hall and to guide us all through this incredible past year of growth and change. With Laura's experience and leadership I believe that we will be able to sustain the success of this past year and move forward with our mission of being a champion of creating learning opportunities through play."

" I am truly honored to become President and CEO of Please Touch Museum, and I look forward to the next steps in the museum's development, " said Ms. Foster. "We have an outstanding staff with whom I am privileged to work. The joy of this past year has been seeing the smiles on the faces of children and grownups when they experience the restored beauty of Memorial Hall and our new exhibits and programs. We will be working from the legacy put in place by Nancy. We will build upon our relationships in the Centennial District and the Parkside neighborhood and create new partnerships throughout the region."