Atiba T. Edwards has been appointed President and CEO of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. The St. Vincent native, who previously served as the museum’s Chief Operating Officer, is now the museum’s 12th president and the first Black man to hold the role in the nearly 125-year history of the institution.
“I am deeply honored and excited to assume the role of President and CEO at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. This institution holds a special place in the hearts of families and children in Brooklyn and beyond. BCM is a place I grew up coming to with my family during my childhood years. I am committed to continuing the museum’s legacy of providing a dynamic and enriching educational experience for all, and I look forward to working with our dedicated staff, board, and community partners to ensure the museum’s continued success,” Edwards expressed, according to Caribbean Today.
At the beginning of his career, Edwards worked as a fixed-income research analyst at JPMorgan‘s Investment Bank, focusing on the automotive sector. He continued to work in finance, lending his knowledge to Nomura Securities, covering high-grade and high-yield fixed-income research divisions in a variety of industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, healthcare, and tobacco.
The appointee then became the director of operations at Brooklyn East Collegiate, an Uncommon Schools middle school. In addition, Edwards is a co-founder of FOKUS, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to use the arts to foster community development and connection.
Edwards, who grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, wants to use his new position to bring the community back together and make sure that everyone is accepted at the institution.
The museum describes him as a leader who “served with outstanding leadership, overseeing various critical functions of the museum, including adeptly managing the budget, implementing systems to increase staff efficiency, overseeing an incredibly successful rebranding effort, and spearheading an array of new offerings at the Museum, including the highly acclaimed ArtRink exhibition, launch of a mini-golf course and the inauguration of a state-of-the-art auditorium.”
Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Amanda Sue Nichols, said, “We could not be more thrilled to welcome Atiba into this new role as President and CEO. Atiba has been a central player in the Museum’s success over the last four years and was instrumental in guiding the museum through the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Edwards became acting president and CEO in mid-August when former leader Stephanie Hill Wilchfort left the museum.
Nichols said that Edwards’ outstanding leadership during his time as acting CEO and his proven dedication to the museum’s mission and the communities it serves make everyone confident that he is the right person to lead the Brooklyn Children’s Museum into the future.
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM), founded in 1899 as the world’s first children’s museum, is New York City’s largest cultural institution dedicated to families. BCM serves 300,000 children and caregivers each year via exhibitions and programs centered on visual arts, music and performance, natural science, and international cultures.
