Vice Chair; Community Engagement & Programming Co-Chair; Cultural Inclusion Group Member
Executive Director at Higher Works Collaborative, Youth Pastor at Jubilee Worship Center, Board Member for several area youth serving non-profits
“Great River Children’s Museum creates a meeting place for everyone in the community to engage in fun and exciting activities. A diverse community sustains authentic education in arts and culture. S.T.E.A.M. is the tool of success.”
Board Member; Finance Committee Member
Program Director with Central Minnesota Arts Board
“As an artist, teacher and parent, I value the essential role of play and exploration in the development of children but also in the health of a community. I am excited to see our commitment to those values made visible through the establishment of a children’s museum.”
Board Member
Pediatric Specialist with CentraCare and member of the Minnesota COVID Response Team
“As a mother and pediatrician in this community, I am thrilled to be a part of an organization striving to create a safe place for our children to grow and learn. I look forward to an environment that allows our children to play without the constraints of gender, race, socioeconomic status or circumstance.”
Board Member; Community Engagement & Programming Co-Chair; Cultural Inclusion Group Member
Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist
“A children’s museum will provide exciting opportunities to support the social and emotional development of young children in our community, through exploration and play, with their parents or other important caregivers in their lives.”
Board Member; Marketing Committee Chair
Professor of Strategic Communication at St. Cloud State University and Editor in Chief of The Newsleaders in St. Joseph, MN
“Some of the best memories with my three boys are the times spent constructing contraptions, manipulating bubbles, exploring and role playing. Children’s museums provide the space for these types of creative discovery, and I look forward to seeing other families make lifelong memories at GRCM.”
Board Member
“The Children’s Museum has the potential to become so much more than a building; it is destined to become an essential community institution. It promises to help create a much more vibrant downtown, a much more inclusive community, and an important resource for families in the Central Minnesota area.”
Board Member; Marketing Committee Member; Community Engagement & Programming Committee Member
ECFE Parent Educator with Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools
“It’s been my dream to have a museum space in central Minnesota where children and adults are able to play together in a meaningful way that builds their relationship.”
Board Member; Exhibits Committee Chair; Facilities Committee Member; Marketing Committee Member
Licensed Clinical Psychologist (specializing in health psychology and
cognitive behavioral therapy)
“This is an exciting time! The future of our community is being influenced by those just entering the world today. A local children’s museum presents an extraordinary opportunity to bring our community together, promoting learning through curiosity, and ultimately strengthening our humanity.”
Board Member; Personnel Committee Member
Dean of the School of Education at St. Cloud State University
“I’m new to the St. Cloud community and this project highlights the importance that is placed on the support and success of the children here. Our children deserve all of the resources and quality learning experiences that we can provide. It is great to see the community pull together to make this dream a reality. It further affirms our choice to come to St. Cloud!”
Committee Members
Retired Early Childhood Director, Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools
“As a parent and grandparent, I am excited to be part of the development of a children’s museum for our area. What a great addition to our community.”
Facilities Committee Member
Retired CEO of the Stearns County History Museum and Senior VP for Corporate Services at CentraCare
Retired Parent Educator with District 742
“I love children, children’s museums and the St. Cloud area. Check out my collection of hundreds of images from other children’s museums to see what might be possible for our community.”
“As life-long resident of Saint Cloud, I am thrilled to support a welcoming environment in which the next generation can play, learn, and thrive.”
Author, It Only Takes One Yes!
In Memoriam
Our friend, John Wertz passed away on December 9, 2020. Great River Children’s Museum wants to recognize his significant support for the children’s museum from the early days when the museum was just a dream. John provided important guidance by coaching the development of a business plan for the museum to help assess our feasibility. He was a member of the planning group that visited Liberty Bank when the offer of the building was first made. He connected us to community resources to help us make the decision to accept the building donation. He was also instrumental in providing critical early financial support to move the project forward. He continued to provide advice and connect Great River Children’s Museum to community leaders after we moved into our building. He even came to help us move counters to create our Play, Explore, and Learn Lab space. He will be fondly remembered for his wise counsel, optimism, and advocacy for our children’s museum. We miss you John and honor you as one of our founding members.
