McAULIFFE-SHEPARD DISCOVERY CENTER
Melissa Edwards appointed Executive Director
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH, has appointed Melissa Edwards as Executive Director. She will begin July 7. MS&R Senior Search Consultant, Dan Yaeger, led the search.
Edwards comes to the museum from the Seattle area with a 20- year career in museum education, community engagement, and space workforce development, with leadership in both the nonprofit and private sectors. For thirteen years Edwards was in senior leadership positions with The Museum of Flight in Seattle, the largest private aerospace museum in the U.S. There, she created highly acclaimed programs in conjunction with NASA, Boeing, and other partners. Most recently she played a leadership role in recruiting personnel for aerospace manufacturer Blue Origin. Edwards holds a Master of Teaching and a B.A. in History, both from The Evergreen State College, in Olympia and Tacoma, WA.
MSDC Board President Bruce Andrews stated, “At this important moment of transition for us, we are delighted to have recruited Melissa from Seattle to join the Discovery Center.”
Edwards is taking over for long-time MSDC director Jeanne Gerulskis, who is retiring after 27 years at the helm. “Jeanne has put her heart and soul into the Discovery Center and built it into what it is today,” said Andrews. “We are deeply grateful for her contributions.”
Edwards said, “I am a big believer in inspiring folks about the universe because I think that can help us understand ourselves and take care of our Earth better. The MSDC has great potential to connect people with the cosmos, and so I am incredibly excited to serve the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center.”