Veteran museum administrator Regina Faden has been named president of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, ending a two-year search for a successor to the museum’s longtime leader Van Romans, who retired in April 2021.
The museum has operated with interim presidents since Romans’ retirement, first Kippen de Alba Chu who had been serving as chief of staff and then, since April of last year, former Lockheed Martin executive vice president Orlando Carvalho. Faden’s appointment was announced by the museum’s board of directors, which said “the board anticipates a seamless transition and a continued focus on museum operations.”
Faden previously served as executive director of Historic St. Mary’s City (HSMC), where she led research and interpretation. Over the course of her 15-year tenure at HSMC, she managed 835 acres of land, 100 structures, and a range of exhibits and archeological sites spanning 10,000 B.C. to the 20th Century.
Faden serves as a peer reviewer for American Alliance of Museums and a grant reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services and has taught courses in museum studies, literature and American history, the Fort Worth museum said in a news release. She has published extensively on the subject of museology and race.
“We are delighted to welcome Regina as our new president,” said museum board chair Marianne Auld. “Her extensive knowledge and experience will continue to move our museum forward as we bring on line the new Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater and introduce new exhibits, programs, and museum offerings. We also want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to Orlando Carvalho for his dedicated leadership as our interim president over the past 16 months.”
The $22M renovation of the Jane & John Justin Foundation Omni Theater is one of several projects underway at the museum, which also is expanding its educational programs and preparing to unveil a new aviation exhibit. “Cowtown Takes Flight.” The exhibit will explore Fort Worth’s significant contributions in the field of aviation.
About the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History:
The museum was established in 1941, is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute. Anchored by its rich collections, the museum is dedicated to lifelong learning and engages guests through creative programs and exhibits interpreting science and the history of Texas and the Southwest. For more information, visit www.fwmuseum.org.
