Ellen Censky named president and CEO of Milwaukee Public Museum
Bill Glauber
After a nationwide search that yielded a field of 118 applicants, the Milwaukee Public Museum decided to stick with a familiar face.
Ellen J. Censky was named as the museum's president and chief executive officer Tuesday. She had served those positions in an interim role since September 2018 after the abrupt resignation of Dennis Kois.
Censky is the first woman to lead the museum in its 137-year history.
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This is a key period for the museum, which announced in 2017 that it's looking for a new location to build a state-of-the-art facility at a cost of more than $100 million.
"I am humbled by this opportunity to lead the Milwaukee Public Museum at such an integral point in the organization’s history and future," Censky said in a statement.
"Over the course of my career I’ve developed a vision of how natural history museums can and should continue to thrive as a critical part of local and global communities, and I’m thrilled to now have the opportunity to execute that vision in my home state of Wisconsin, finding new and innovative ways to share the wonder of science and world cultures with our visitors."
A native of Cedarburg, Censky earned her bachelor of science degree in zoology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and received a doctorate in biological sciences from the University of Pittsburgh.
She began her career at the Milwaukee Public Museum and had an important stint at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
She was also director of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and director and CEO of the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
She returned to the Milwaukee Public Museum in 2008 as senior vice president and academic dean.
"After an extensive national search that included speaking with qualified individuals from around the country and the world, we know we’ve identified the right leader to guide the Milwaukee Public Museum into the future," Susan Martin, search committee chair, said in a news release.
"Ellen’s exceptional scientific achievements, her vision for and deep understanding of the Milwaukee Public Museum, and her commitment to this community make her the right person for the job," Martin said.