Dorota Blumczynska named CEO of The Manitoba Museum
The Board of Governors of The Manitoba Museum is pleased to announce the appointment of Dorota Blumczynska as their new Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director, effective May 3, 2021. Ms. Blumczynska takes over from Claudette Leclerc, who is retiring following a successful 23-year career at the helm of Manitoba’s largest not-for-profit centre for History, Nature, and Science learning and experiences.
Ms. Blumczynska arrived in Canada as a refugee in 1989 and has called Manitoba home ever since. For the past 10 years, she has served as Executive Director of the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization of Manitoba, an organization dedicated to assisting immigrants and refugees to integrate successfully into the wider community.
“We are very excited to welcome Dorota to The Manitoba Museum,” says Penny McMillan, Chair of the Board of Governors. “The Manitoba Museum plays such an important role in Manitoba’s cultural and learning community. We undertook the CEO search process knowing how important it would be to find a candidate who embodies a passion for our community and the things that make it special. Someone who loves learning and telling the stories of all Manitobans. Someone with deep and proven experience in building and sustaining community connections as the Museum counts on all Manitobans to succeed and grow. Dorota is that candidate, and the Board is looking forward to working with her as the next CEO and Executive Director of The Manitoba Museum.”
“The Manitoba Museum is such a beautiful place; not only the keeper of our stories and our histories, it offers us a space to dream into the future. I feel honoured to be entrusted with this incredible opportunity,” says Blumczynska. “Like so many Manitobans, I remember my first visit to the Manitoba Museum, not long after we arrived in Canada. As a child, I delighted in exploring the world within its walls, learning about my new home, the people and the land. As a parent watching my own kids light up with every new sight has meant so much to me. Never could I have imagined that one day I would be asked to lead the amazing team at the Museum and be invited to continue to build on the successful renewal and development efforts that make it the very place where countless stories begin; where Manitoba stories begin. I can’t wait to play a part in sharing them, honouring all that makes each of us unique and all that binds us together.”
McMillan also took the opportunity to, once again, recognize the tremendous contributions of outgoing CEO Claudette Leclerc. “Claudette’s leadership has been instrumental in The Manitoba Museum being the success that it is today. I know that everyone at The Manitoba Museum thanks Claudette for all her efforts and wishes her and her family the best in the future.”