Discovery Center CEO Celebrates 10 Years of Service, Growth

The Kansas Children’s Discovery Center announced today that President and CEO Dené Mosier is celebrating 10 years at the helm of the nonprofit children’s museum, marking a decade of significant growth and community impact.

Since taking on the role in August 2015 as the organization’s second director, Mosier has led the museum through a transformative period. Under her leadership, the Discovery Center has achieved record-breaking attendance, hosted 12 special exhibitions, and earned national recognition for its commitment to hands-on learning and inclusive access.

During her tenure, she eliminated existing institutional debt, launched a mobile museum to serve rural and underserved communities, and successfully steered the organization through the unprecedented challenges of 2020. Mosier also created transformative access programs including Medical Warriors, for children facing life-limiting illnesses, and Play Free, a prison partnership reconnecting children with incarcerated parents through healing play. Today, more than one in three visitors attends through free or reduced admission.

One of her most ambitious efforts is currently underway: an $11.5 million expansion that will more than double the museum’s size and extend its reach to thousands of additional families. The project broke ground on September 9, 2024, and is on track to open in November 2025.

Mosier brings a unique understanding of human development to her leadership. She holds undergraduate and master’s degrees from Kansas State University, including a master’s in gerontology. Her career spans early childhood education, school administration, and higher education, where she taught university courses on lifespan development, aging, and human behavior. This interdisciplinary lens allows her to lead with the full family in mind bridging the needs of children, caregivers, and systems to foster growth across generations.

In addition to her work at the Discovery Center, Mosier holds a national leadership position as Chair of Strategic Initiatives on the Executive Committee of the Association of Children’s Museums Board of Directors. Locally, she serves on the Visit Topeka Board of Directors, and served on the Momentum 2027 Steering Committee, and the Momentum 2027 Leadership Cabinet.