EVERETT — After a nationwide search, Imagine Children’s Museum will welcome a new CEO in June.
On Thursday, the museum’s board of directors announced that Elizabeth “Elee” Wood will replace retiring CEO Nancy Johnson.
Wood will start as the CEO designate on May 14 and take the helm June 3.
The 68,000-square-foot museum is the largest children’s museum in the Pacific Northwest for kids ages 12 and under. Last year it served more than 283,000 visitors.
Johnson has led the nonprofit since 1999, when it was known as the Children’s Museum in Snohomish County and operated out of a rented storefront on Colby Avenue.
Imagine Children’s Museum’s retiring CEO, Nancy Johnson. (Photo provided by Imagine Children’s Museum)
She put the museum on a path toward long-term growth and recognition, the museum board said.
In 2017, Imagine was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, making it the first accredited children’s museum in the Pacific Northwest.
“It has been the honor of my life to lead Imagine for the past 25 years,” she said in a statement.
Last year, Johnson told the board she planned to retire once the museum’s $25 million capital campaign concluded, and the museum’s new wing opened. The new addition doubled the museum’s space and debuted in November 2022.
The expanded museum includes a woodland climbing structure, make-believe wildlife veterinary clinic, aquarium and marine science gallery as well as an art studio and tinker shop.
“It was the ideal time for the organization to transition to new leadership,” Johnson said. “The board has worked tirelessly to find the right individual to guide Imagine into the future, and I’m excited about the new heights of excellence that Elee Wood and the team will achieve working together to enrich children’s lives through playful learning.”
Board president Clay Wertheimer, said Wood was selected for her “character and qualifications to carry on Nancy’s legacy and build on her accomplishments.”
In a statement, Wood said she is thrilled “to be joining the team at Imagine,” Wood said. “Having spent nearly 30 years in the field, I know the potential and possibility that await Imagine in this next phase of operations. I look forward to the opportunity to serve the community as an important place of play and learning and being a champion for children and their families.”
Wood is currently the Nadine and Robert A. Skotheim director of education and public programs at The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, California. Prior to joining The Huntington, she held several positions at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.
Janice Podsada: 425-339-3097; jpodsada@heraldnet.com;
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