The Discovery Museums Appoint Four New Board Members

The Discovery Museums have welcomed four new members to their board of directors: Patricia J. Chisholm, Middlesex Savings Bank; Wendy E. Baker, Enterprise Bank and Trust; Acton resident Donald MacKenzie, Acton Town Moderator; and Acton resident Russell Layton, Hologic, Inc.

“We are honored to welcome Patty, Wendy, Don and Russell to our board,” said Lees Stuntz, Board President. “Together they bring a wealth of professional, community and nonprofit experience that will be invaluable in steering the Museums through our next phases of expansion and growth, to better serve our community.”

Patricia J. Chisholm is Vice President and Regional Manager at Middlesex Savings Bank, and is based in Acton.  Patty has been an active part of the Acton community for more than 20 years, serving for the past 14 on the board of the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce. She has 30 years of experience in community banking, including positions at Digital Federal Credit Union, The Cooperative Bank of Concord, and The Bank for Savings. Patty studied at Fitchburg State College, Babson University and New England College of Business.

Wendy E. Baker is Vice President and Branch Relationship Manager at Enterprise Bank & Trust, and is based in Acton.  Wendy previously worked for Bank of America.  Prior to joining the banking industry, Wendy enjoyed a successful career in retail sales, working for startup Brainshark in Burlington MA, and Estee Lauder Companies in New York.  Wendy is also involved with the Arthritis Foundation, the Acton-Boxborough Rotary Club, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Odd Fellows Nursing Home in Worcester.  Wendy received a B.S. in business from Rivier College in New Hampshire.

Donald MacKenzie is retired President, Chairman & CEO of NYNEX Information Resources Company, having held a number of positions within NYNEX, New England Telephone and AT&T over the course of his career.  Don presently serves as Moderator for the Town of Acton, a position he has been elected to annually since 1977. Don has also served as president of the Mass Moderator’s Association, chaired the Personnel Board for the Town of Acton, served as corporator for Emerson Hospital, served as past president and board member at the Concord Country Club, and served on the board of the Acton Memorial Library Foundation.  Don holds an A.B. in political science from Brown University.

Russell Layton is Senior Director, Corporate Development, at Hologic, Inc.  Hologic develops medical devices and diagnostic equipment dedicated to women's health.  Russ is responsible for evaluating emerging medical technologies and strategy for the GYN Surgical division.  Prior to his current role, Russ held numerous Research & Development and Management positions in the healthcare industry at Hologic, CYTYC, GE Healthcare, and several smaller firms.  Russ holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.

The four join a Board that has led the Museums through a successful 2011, a year in which visitation increased 17% and membership increased 30% for the second year in a row. The Museums’ Traveling Science Workshops brought hands-on science education to more than 24,000 children in schools throughout New England, and the Museums welcomed more than 35,000 visitors for free or deeply reduced cost through its Open Door Connections program, 10,000 more than in 2010.  In 2011 the Museums also introduced free mornings and evenings for families with children on the Autism spectrum and families with children with hearing loss, funded in part by a highly competitive national grant.

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About The Discovery Museums

The Discovery Museums are the children’s and science museums of Metrowest Boston, paired on a single campus in Acton, MA.  The Museums—the Science Discovery Museum and the Children’s Discovery Museum—serve families and schools from towns throughout the region, with a commitment to informal education that enhances classroom learning.  The hands-on, playful exhibits, developed by professional educators, inspire curiosity, exploration, experimentation and imagination.  The Discovery Museums combine manageable scale, convenient location and free parking to provide a fun and engaging experience where children and adults can discover their world together.

For more information, please visit www.discoverymuseums.org.