Sonia Winner Named President & CEO
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History announced today that the Board of Trustees named Sonia Winner President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Museum, effective immediately. Winner has been serving as Acting CEO since January 2018.
“As we began our external search for CEO, it quickly became apparent that Sonia was the best fit to lead the Museum,” said Jon Grimm, Chair of the Museum’s Board of Trustees. “Since her appointment to Acting CEO earlier this year, Sonia quickly proved herself a skilled and effective leader and earned the support of the Board and staff. We have a great team and we need a CEO who can help to more strongly engage the community in our work, while delivering on the vision of our Centennial Project and Campaign. We are confident Sonia is that leader and are excited to have her guide us into our second century.”
Over the last several months, Winner made several strategic moves to strengthen the Museum’s leadership team, naming Harvey Webster Chief Wildlife Officer and Museum Ambassador, Dr. Gavin Svenson Director of Research and Collections, Dr. Andy Jones Director of Conservation and Dr. Denise Su Director of Partnerships and Programs. She is also researching and analyzing both progress and plans for the Centennial Project and Campaign. One of her early priorities as CEO will be to rescope the project to ensure the Museum delivers on its promise to create a more engaging, vibrant, interactive showcase for its work at the forefront of conservation, science education and scientific discovery. The rescoping is expected to be complete by early fall.
“I am excited at the opportunity to lead the Museum as its CEO during such a transformational moment in its history,” said Winner. “Over the course of several generations, the Museum has solidified its role as one of the nation’s leaders in natural history and become a pillar institution in Northeast Ohio, thanks to the talented and hard-working staff, trustees and volunteers who have served this organization. I am eager to continue the legacy they’ve built, further the world-class research and learning opportunities it creates for visitors and share our passion for science with future generations.”
Winner joined the Museum in January 2017 as Chief Advancement Officer. During her tenure, Winner led the Museum’s Centennial Project and Campaign, in addition to building relationships in the community, and with foundations, major donors and prospects. She is a lawyer and currently serves on the Visiting Committee of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.
Immediately prior to joining the Museum, Winner served as Vice President for University Development at Columbia University, where she was a part of the senior team that achieved $6.1 billion for The Columbia Campaign, which set an Ivy League record for largest funds raised in a single campaign. She also spent more than a decade in key leadership roles in Cleveland, at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University.
ABOUT THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, incorporated in 1920, is one of the finest institutions of its kind in North America. It is noted for its collections, research, educational programs and exhibits. The collections encompass more than 5 million artifacts and specimens, and research of global significance focuses on 10 natural science disciplines. The Museum conserves biological diversity through the protection of more than 9,400 acres of natural areas. It promotes health education with local programs and distance learning that extends across the globe. Its
GreenCityBlueLake Institute is a center of thought and practice for the design of green and sustainable cities.
www.cmnh.org
ABOUT CENTENNIAL PROJECT AND CAMPAIGN
All three Phase I projects have been completed: the Larry Sears & Sally Zlotnick Sears Garden, the Ralph Perkins II Wildlife Center & Woods Garden – Presented by KeyBank, and the energy efficient parking garage.
The Centennial Project and Campaign is currently being rescoped to ensure that the Museum delivers on its promise to create a more engaging, vibrant, interactive showcase for its work at the forefront of conservation, scientific education and scientific discovery. The rescoping is expected to be completed by early fall.
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