Wonder Works Children's Museum Hires CEO

With an eye toward expanding its fundraising capacity and moving to a larger location, Wonder Works Children’s Museum has hired Rachel Rettberg as its first Chief Executive Officer.

Most recently a Wonder Works Board Member and its Secretary, Rettberg has a background in early childhood development. She will team with Mary Bodlak, the organization’s longtime Executive Director. Among Rettberg’s tasks will be spearheading fundraising from individual, corporate and foundation sources and further developing connections with innovators in the field of early childhood education.

Wonder Works promotes creativity in children with a focus on birth to age eight.

For the past dozen years, Wonder Works Children’s Museum has grown its reputation and visitor base at 6445 W. North Avenue in Oak Park. The non-profit was founded in 1991 and now welcomes 60,000 visitors annually (from over 300 zip codes) and last year hosted over 330 parties.

“We are the bridge between the family room and the classroom, and we need to build capacity to create even greater impact on children and families,” says Wonder Works Board President John Harris. “Mary has done an outstanding job, and hiring Rachel represents an investment that will bring us to the next phase of the museum’s development.”

“If kids grow up from a very early age, learning to be creative, learning to express themselves and learning to use their imagination, then they are going to be able to grow up and think for themselves, to solve problems and become better and more well-rounded citizens in our rapidly changing world,” says Harris.

Wonder Works also engages in a variety of other important issues, such as literacy, food health and nutrition, with elements that include a farm-to-market section and an outdoor organic garden where children help plant, harvest and consume vegetables, herbs and even flowers.

Wonder Works will continue to “be that place where you can be unplugged and free, so you’re not tethered to technology or the more rigid framework of the classroom,” Rettberg said. “At Wonder Works, kids are free to experiment, to learn and to work with and cooperate with each other.”

Wonder Works owns its 6,400 square feet building, though leaders envision a 12,000- to 15,000-square foot space to achieve greater outcomes in early childhood education.

A native of England and Oak Park resident since 2004, Rettberg and her husband, Kyle, have three sons between the ages of 6 and 13. A former Chicago preschool teacher and assistant director of a private pre-school, Rettberg also serves on the St. Giles School Board. In 2011, she received a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Concordia University.

“I have always been passionate about early childhood education,” Rettberg said. “My new position is a unique opportunity to work with children while also advocating for them. I’m thrilled about what lies ahead.”

To learn more about Wonder Works Children’s Museum, visit www.wonder-works.org.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Photo #1: Rachel Rettberg, formerly Secretary of the organization’s Board of Directors, has a strong background in early childhood education and is the new CEO of Wonder Works Children’s Museum.

Photo #2: Wonder Works Children’s Museum CEO Rachel Rettberg (left) and Executive Director Mary Bodlak are teaming up to help the organization grow its capacity to raise funds and move to a larger location in the future.

Photo #3: CEO Rachel Rettberg inside her office at Wonder Works Children’s Museum in Oak Park.