Montshire Museum of Science Announces New Executive Director
The Montshire Museum of Science in Norwich, Vermont, is pleased to announce the selection of Lara Litchfield-Kimber as its new executive director. Litchfield-Kimber will fill this role in January 2022.
“The Board of Trustees of the Montshire Museum of Science is very excited to welcome Lara,” said Michael Bettmann, Board Chair. “She is an exceptionally qualified, experienced, and well-regarded leader in the field of science and children’s museums. We are certain that through her leadership, she will help the museum achieve even more, both locally and nationally.”
The board-appointed search committee’s work began in May 2021, led by Trustee Jeremy DeSilva. With the help of Kittleman & Associates of Boston, a national search was conducted, leading to meetings with more than 40 candidates from around the country with a diverse range of professional experiences.
“Science and science literacy have never been more important—to have a nationally recognized museum here says a lot about our community and what it values,” said DeSilva. “Lara Litchfield-Kimber will take the Montshire to new heights. She is an innovative leader and a charismatic communicator who will be the voice of science in the Upper Valley and beyond for years to come.”
Litchfield-Kimber comes to the Montshire with a passion for science education and conservation of natural resources. Her work is firmly rooted in empowering the public with science-informed knowledge. She is a scientist by training, a visionary nonprofit leader, and an accomplished inquiry-based educator. She currently serves as the Executive Director of the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum (MHCM) in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her tenure there has produced a new organizational strategy resulting in a significant increase in annual attendance, partnerships that effectively support the educational needs of the region, and international recognition, particularly due to its groundbreaking work in fighting food insecurity in their community, which was honored with the Association of Science and Technology Centers’ Roy L. Shafer Leading Edge Award for Business Practice. MHCM has been named a “Top STEM Educator” by Kids Out and About and recognized as the “Best Museum in the Hudson Valley” by regional publications.
Prior to leading the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, Litchfield-Kimber was Deputy Director of the Sciencenter in Ithaca, New York. She continues to be engaged in the science education and museum community through her work with various organizations, including the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and the Museum Association of New York (MANY). She was a Noyce Leadership Initiative Fellow and a recipient of both the Chamber Foundation’s Athena Award and the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Headliner Award for Leadership and Community.
“It is an incredible honor to be joining the Montshire team and to have the opportunity to work collaboratively with its staff, board, and community stakeholders in advancing STEM education and inspiring the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, and innovators,” shares Litchfield-Kimber. “Now more than ever, interactive science museums have an important role to play in connecting learners of all ages with awe-inspiring and relevant experiences in STEM that help build self-confidence, science literacy, and public trust.”
