The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History named a Maryland museum administrator and fundraiser, Regina Faden, as its new president.
Faden will be stepping into the role during a major period of transition for the museum: The museum recently began a roughly $21-million renovation of its Omni Theater. Its team has been operating under interim leadership since 2021. And tax documents show that the museum struggled financially for several years before the COVID-19 pandemic forced it and many other cultural institutions to temporarily close their doors.
But Faden comes to this position having previously served as executive director at two other facilities: The Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum in Hannibal, Missouri, and more recently at the outdoor living history museum, Historic St. Mary’s City, in southern Maryland, according to her LinkedIn profile. Her background also includes fundraising and development experience at the Missouri Botanical Garden and University of Missouri-St. Louis.
She is a peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums and has also taught collegiate courses on museum studies, literature and American history.
She will take over for Orlando Carvalho, former executive vice president of aeronautics at Lockheed Martin Corporation, who has served as the museum’s interim leader for the past 16 months. Before that, Kippen de Alba Chu, the museum’s former chief of staff, held that role for about one year following the retirement of the museum’s longtime president Van Romans in April 2021.
“We are delighted to welcome Regina as our new president,” museum board chair Marianne Auld said in a press release July 20. “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.”
Faden could not be reached for comment before publication. She starts at the museum on Aug. 7.
Disclosure: Marianne Auld is the chair of the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History board and also serves on the board of the Fort Worth Report.
Marcheta Fornoff covers the arts for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at marcheta.fornoff@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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