Longtime Executive Director of the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum, Marci Donaho, has retired effective July 15th. Her successor is Eileen Castle, formerly of the Science Museum Oklahoma, Director of the Oklahoma Museum Network. Assisting the new Executive Director will be Tonya Ricks of Shawnee who was employed at the Mabee Gerrer Museum of Art for 16 years. She will serve as the Associate Director.

Eileen Castle has over 25 years of experience in museum exhibit design and development, informal education and community engagement. For the last seven years she served as the Director of the Oklahoma Museum Network, a statewide partnership dedicated to bringing hands-on learning opportunities to all corners of the state.

“Now more than ever, our museums play a critical role in connecting children and families with inspiring play and discovery-based experiences that help spark imagination and curiosity, two things that are critical to our future,” Castle said. “Tonya and I are so excited to have the opportunity to building on all the great things that Marci has created here and we look forward to collaborating with Jasmine’s amazing staff and board and with the community of Seminole to inspire the next generation of problem solvers and innovators.”

The JMCM Board of Trustees decided to create a new administrative position in 2022. Tonya Ricks was hired as the Associate Director and will help guide the museum in internal and external communications, financial management, human resources, grant writing, and fundraising. Ricks has worked and volunteered in the nonprofit industry for 23 years with many of those years focused on museum fund-raising, memberships, and financials. She stated, “The Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum has been a favorite place of mine since first bringing my children to visit over 20 years ago. I am honored to be given the opportunity to be a part of this amazing educational institution which encourages creative play!”

Donaho was founding board president of the Children’s Museum for eight years and then assumed the President/CEO role in 1996. She has been in that position for 26 years. “This has been a decision that I have wrestled with for quiet a long time. But all good things must come to an end. Eileen and Tonya bring an outstanding level of museum experience to the Children’s Museum. I am so excited for the museum’s future with these two museum professionals guiding a new path of education and inquiry. Their experiences from the two worlds of museum knowledge will advance the Jasmine Moran Children’s Museum to another level of excellence.”