The National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) announced the appointment of Lori Ann Terjesen, Ph.D., as director of education. In her new role, Dr. Terjesen develops, presents and oversees programs and projects that interpret the Museum’s mission with special emphasis on the history of American women.

“Dr. Terjesen’s extensive experience and background make her uniquely qualified to lead our education department and spearhead our educational initiatives,” said NWHM Board Chair Susan Whiting.  “She brings deep experience in museum education, curation and collection, and working with schools and museums to design programs. Dr. Terjesen will be a wonderful asset working on behalf of the Museum and helping us deliver on our mission.”

Dr. Terjesen is a nonprofit management specialist and museum educator with a 15-year career in museums and cultural institutions. She most recently served as director of strategic planning at Brooksfield Montessori School in McLean, Virginia, where she researched and designed a written curriculum that encompasses the school’s progressive thought leadership centered on mindfulness, organic gardening, and healthful eating. She also served as the director of education at the Children’s Science Center in Fairfax, Virginia, where she led a team of education staff to support both the Center’s outreach and onsite educational programming, serving more than 80,000 visitors annually. Dr. Terjesen directed the museum’s education program for nearly eight years, growing the outreach program alone by 400%. She leveraged her extensive museum background to design and implement numerous successful hands-on activities and mobile exhibits including Great Shakes!: Understanding Earthquake Basics, Physics Playground: Engineering in Motion, and the Family Science Night and Early Childhood Hands-on Science (ECHOS) school outreach programs.

Dr. Terjesen completed her Ph.D. in art history and museum studies at Case Western Reserve University. She received her MA in museum studies from Seton Hall University, as well as a post-baccalaureate certificate in nonprofit organization management. She completed her BA in art history at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She is a member of the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the National Association for Museum Exhibition, a graduate of the Leadership Fairfax Institute class of 2016 and recognized as a “Forty Under 40” honoree by the Leadership Center for Excellence in 2016.

About the National Women’s History Museum

Founded in 1996, the National Women’s History Museum has researched, collected, and exhibited women’s contributions to the social, cultural, economic, and political life of our nation’s history engaging people with our interactive website, online and physical exhibits, education programs, live presentations, and social media to ensure we tell those stories. Through these efforts and its future physical presence, the Museum serves as a guiding light to inspire people regardless of gender, class, race or culture to move into the future with respect, equal confidence, greater partnership and opportunity. A place where visitors can expand their understanding of women’s roles and leave with a compete view of American history. For additional information visit womenshistory.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.