About Us

Chartered in 1986 as Children’s Museum Corporation of Rutherford County, the Discovery Center provides hands-on education opportunities for the community. An extensive grassroots campaign orchestrated by young parents led to purchasing a building and creating exhibits and programs. During its first year of operation, over 11,000 visitors came to experience the museum’s exhibits and programs. Now, 30 years after its inception, the Discovery Center serves as a vibrant community and tourism center with over 120,000 children and families exploring the exhibits each year.

Mission Statement

Engaging Curious Minds to Fuel the Future.

Vision Statement

Our vision is to build a community with the courage to ask thoughtful questions, the drive to find creative solutions, and the confidence to implement positive changes.

Values

Community Impact Report

2015-2016 Community Impact Report

Board of Directors

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

Nick Lewis	President
Elisabeth Harper Rood	Vice President
Bernie Steen	Treasurer
Amy Farrar	Secretary
David Mitchell	Past President

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Madhavi Boorgu
Tom Campion
Lara Daniel
Amy Farrar
Allyson Fearns
Kalpana Gowda
Paula Harris
Elisabeth Harper Rood
Marla Hord
Nick Lewis
David Mitchell
Ashley Pope
Bailey Pratt
Jason Rapoport
Rick Sain
Bernie Steen
Bill Wright

Staff

Tara MacDougall President & Chief Executive Officer	Veronica Bosnak CFO and Vice President of People & Culture	Dale McCreedy Vice President of Audience & Community Engagement	Lindsey Jennings , Vice President of Philanthropy
	Jennifer Uhl Director of Grants and Membership Development	Eric Talbot Director of Exhibits and Facilities	Jeri Hasselbring Museum Experience Analyst
	Emmie Enochs Animal & Out-of-School Program Coordinator	Madden Purcell Public Programs Coordinator

Kalab – Educator
Kendall – Administrative & SPARK! Assistant
Stephanie – Custodian
Ashley – Exhibits and Facilities Assistant
Haley – Visitor Services Specialist
Parker – Visitor Services Specialist

Youth Council

Students, ages 9 to 18, are volunteering their time to help us plan for the future!

Youth Council Mission Statement We are a research and advisory board composed of students dedicated to the improvement and development of the Discovery Center with innovative ideas geared towards exploration and education of all age groups with a fun, entertaining, hands-on experience for the betterment of the community. To learn more visit the Youth Council home page.

Employment Opportunities

Want a fun and rewarding job? Look no further than the Discovery Center! View our available positions below.

All Access & Inclusivity Specialist

Assist Public Programs Coordinator in planning and implementing Special Needs Initiatives at Discovery Center. Click here for the complete job description. Interested candidates, please email Madden Purcell with a resume and three references.

Summer Camp Counselors

Camp staff will be responsible for groups of up to 15 campers each week, creating a fun, safe, and inclusive camp experience for each child. Counselors will also facilitate indoor and outdoor age-appropriate activities and assist Discovery Center education staff with STEAM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) programming.

Click here to apply.

Any inquiries can be directed to Madden Purcell.

COVID-19 Guidelines: Camp counselors will be required to follow all COVID 19 policies in place for Discovery Center staff. These include, but are not limited to, the wearing of masks at all times, social distancing, frequent hand washing, daily health screenings for those who are not vaccinated and proof of vaccine for those who are. Policies will be provided upon hire and must be adhered to.

Educator & Playologist

Assist with implementing Discovery Center’s education programs (on-site, outreach, public, virtual), interacting with guests and assisting with keeping building and exhibits clean and safe. Click here for the complete job description. Interested candidates, please email Madden Purcell with a resume and three references.