Board of Directors Bios
Terry Davis (Chair)
President & CEO, American Association of State and Local History
Terry is the Executive Director of the American Association for State and Local History. She has developed this organization into one of the leadership associations in the museum field. Terry has become one of the prime movers among museum leaders to recognize the need for a comprehensive research agenda for history museums. She is actively building a growing forum of history museum leaders who are seeking ways to integrate significant research and evaluation into their institutional practices.
Tammie Kahn
Executive Director, Children's Museum of Houston
Tammie Kahn has been the Executive Director of the Children's Museum of Houston since 1995, where she is responsible for the Museum's direction, management, long term planning and expansion which has doubled the learning space of the Museum and created an Institute for Family Learning that focuses on improving a child's math, science and literacy skills. She is past president of the Houston Museum District Association and has served on a variety of boards. She holds a BS from the University of Texas at Austin and MBA from the University of Houston. Prior to her role at the Children's Museum, she was Associate Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Emlyn Koster, Ph.D.
President Emeritus, Liberty Science Center, Jersey City, NJ
With a BSc from the University of Sheffield, UK, and PhD from the University of Ottawa, Canada, Emlyn Koster was initially a geologist engaged in university teaching and research. He then became the chief executive at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, Ontario Science Centre and Liberty Science Center. His publications and presentations focus on relevancy-driven leadership and draw upon his experiences in cultures and landscapes worldwide. Elected presidencies include the Geological Association of Canada, Giant Screen Theater Association, and Institute for Learning Innovation. Other board and advisory roles have included the Getty Leadership Institute, AAAS-COPUST, ICOM-US, International Coalition of Sites of Conscience, and the Institute for Ethical Leadership at Rutgers University. Conference keynote and advisor invitations have come from across Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, England, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Thailand and the United States. Honors have been bestowed by France's l'Ordre des Palmes Academique, the American Conference on Diversity, Arab-American New Jersey Anti-Discrimination Committee, New Jersey's Research and Development Council, and New Jersey's Association of Museums with its John Cotton Dana Award.
Patrick Losinski (Vice-Chair)
Executive Director, Columbus Metropolitan Museum, Columbus, OH
Patrick Losinski is Executive Director of the Columbus Metropolitan Museum Library, one of the most used library systems in the country. Under Patrick's direction, the library system has consistently ranked at the top of its class through such indicators as circulation, customer visits and reference questions. Patrick has recently served as Chairman of the Board of the Urban LIbraries Council and is widely recognized for his leadership skills.
Robert S. Martin, Ph.D.
Professor of Library Science & Lillian Bradshaw Endowed Chair, School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Woman's University
Robert S. Martin is Professor Emeritus in the School of Library and Information Studies at Texas Woman's University. He currently serves on the National Council on the Humanities and the Executive Board of the Urban Libraries Council. From 2001 to 2005 he served as Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Previously he was Professor at Texas Woman's University; Director and Librarian of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission; and Associate Dean of Libraries for Special Collections at Louisiana State University. He has authored or edited numerous books and journal articles on library management, the history of libraries and librarianship, and the history of the exploration and mapping of the American West and has been elected and/or appointed to numerous positions of leadership in service organizations for library and archives professionals. His work has been recognized with numerous honors and awards, including Distinguished Service Awards from both the Texas Library Association and the Society of Southwest Archivists; and the Justin Winsor Prize from the American Library Association.
Rus Peotter (Treasurer)
General Manager, WGBY Public Television
Rus is General Manager of WGBY, public television for Springfield, MA, and Vice President of WGBH, the Boston-based leader in public television. Under his leadership WGBY has won a series of awards for outstanding programming, especially in the development of community-related features. In his prior position as head of Maine Public Broadcasting, Rus spearheaded a museum/public broadcasting model that won national acclaim.
Laura Roberts
Principal, Roberts Consulting
As principal of Roberts Consulting, Laura has earned an outstanding reputation for helping museums build their capacity to become more relevant to their communities' needs. She is a former director of the New England Museum Association and an experienced educator, teaching at the Boston University School of Management, Tufts University and Bank Street College.
Ellen Rosenthal
President and CEO, Conner Prairie, Fishers, IN
Ellen Rosenthal became President and CEO of Conner Prairie Museum in 2005 after serving as the museum's vice president for six years. Under her leadership, Conner Prairie has achieved several recognitions, including reaccreditation by the American Association of Museums, the Indiana Achievement Award and BKD Indiana Excellence Award. In 2008 Conner Prairie recorded the highest fundraising and attendance rates in its history.
Cynthia Vernon
Vice President of Education, Guest and Research Programs, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Cynthia Vernon is Vice President of Education, Guest, and Research Programs at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Prior to joining the aquarium in 2001, Vernon led education and exhibition efforts at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. She is an active member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), having served on its board of directors as well as numerous committees. Vernon was a co-principal investigator on the NSF-funded "Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter" visitor research study, which assessed the impact of a visit to a zoo or aquarium on conservation knowledge, attitude, and behavior, and continues to explore ways to encourage pro-environmental behavior through free-choice learning venues.
