Sausalito, CA – The Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) today announced plans for a transition in its executive leadership in the coming year. CEO Karyn Flynn will be stepping down at the end of 2019, after eight years of dedicated, visionary leadership as chief executive that followed five years of service as a member of the Board of Trustees of one of the leading children’s museums. She will stay on in an advisory role to continue her work on the capital campaign and site renovations. The museum’s current Board of Trustees has launched a search for Ms. Flynn’s successor with executive search firm Russell Reynolds Associates.
“Karyn transformed our museum, beginning with a clear vision for our future, and the methodical development of strategic plans to support this vision, and then finally with our ambitious $18.5mm capital campaign in support of a remarkable new site plan. I have tremendous respect for her adept leadership and deep gratitude for her partnership. We are saddened to see her go, but also energized to see where a new leader can take our institution,” said Victoria Barret, BADM board chair.
Under Ms. Flynn’s tenure, BADM developed a new mission statement: To transform research into early learning experiences that inspire creative problem solving. Along with the new mission came a new brand identity and messaging calling out the museum’s aspiration to have impact beyond what happens on-site.
She also oversaw the creation of two strategic plans, a 35% growth in the museum’s visitorship to 365,000 people and doubled revenues. BADM’s commitment to community outreach deepened, with significant growth of over 400% in the number of children served through its School and Community programs. This is in addition to welcoming 83,000 children and families last year with free or reduced admission, representing a growth of 43% over the last 3 years.
Ms. Flynn oversaw the launch of numerous innovative educational initiatives including the museum’s research effort, the world’s first early childhood Fab Lab, and the Try It Truck, a mobile engineering lab. The Discovery School, an on-site preschool was the first of its kind in California to be licensed on museum grounds under her leadership.
She spearheaded an $18.5 million capital campaign to support extensive renovations with internationally-recognized architect Alan Maskin of Olson Kundig.
Ms. Flynn said, “It has been an enormous privilege to have led BADM during an important period of transformation and growth. I am honored to have worked with remarkable colleagues and supporters who are so committed to advancing early childhood education by providing innovative, research-backed early learning experiences in STEM and the arts for the children and families of the Bay Area.
I deeply believe in the transformational nature of early childhood and that it is the best investment we as a society can make. I leave knowing that I have helped ensure that our world class region has world class educational opportunities for its youngest citizens.”
About Karyn Flynn
Karyn Flynn has served as CEO of the Bay Area Discovery Museum since 2011. Prior to becoming CEO, Ms. Flynn was a Trustee for the Bay Area Discovery Museum for five years, serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees and Chair of the Development Committee. Her previous experience was in investment management as a Vice President in Goldman Sachs’ Private Wealth Management Group. She is currently a member of the DocuSign Impact Advisory Board and has served on the boards of community organizations including The Financial Women’s Association, Heyday Books, the Mountain Play Association, Marin Advocates for Children, and the Bacich Site Council. She has also been recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business by the San Francisco Business Times.
About the Bay Area Discovery Museum
The Bay Area Discovery Museum is a children’s museum in Sausalito that applies the latest research to develop early learning experiences that inspire and build creative problem-solving skills in children, transforming the way they learn and the way they contribute to the world. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the museum provides STEM-focused, inquiry driven experiences that develop creativity and conceptual thinking, critical components of problem solving. BayAreaDiscoveryMuseum.org
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