JoAnna Jacob named Executive Director

Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Children’s Museum has named JoAnna Jacob as its Executive Director, the museum announced Monday. In this newly created position, Jacob will be responsible for strengthening the museum’s brand, advancing its mission, and ensuring long-term financial sustainability by overseeing Explore & More’s day-to-day operations and maintaining relationships with community partners.

She will report to Explore & More President & CEO Michelle Urbanczyk.

“For the past five years, JoAnna has proven herself to be an invaluable asset to the museum,” Urbanczyk said. “She has demonstrated tremendous leadership and has developed a strong rapport with our team. I know she will excel in this new role.”

“I’m so grateful for this opportunity and I’m thrilled to support the museum in its next stage of growth,” Jacob said.

Jacob joined Explore & More in 2021 as the Manager of Institutional Advancement and Donor Relations and moved into the Director of Institutional Advancement role shortly after. She initially oversaw an annual contributed revenue portfolio, including the museum’s endowment, and began managing earned revenue through museum rentals, corporate partnerships, and café sales and operations. Since 2022, she has supported the development of museum marketing and communications, government relations, Board of Trustees administration, visitor experience, and community partnerships. 

She previously spent 10 years with the American Cancer Society, where she served as Executive Director from 2018 to 2021, overseeing a $6 million annual gross revenue portfolio driven by market-specific community mobilization across Upstate New York.

Jacob received a Master of Science in Communication and Leadership with concentrations in Organizational Leadership and Managing Not for Profit Organizations from Canisius University and holds a Project Management Professional certification.