Discovery Museum Welcomes Four New Board Members

Acton, MA – Discovery Museum is pleased to welcome Helen Crary, Jeff Glidden, Kerry Hawitt, and Andrew Howard to its Board of Directors.

Helen Crary served as the Early Childhood Program Coordinator for the Sudbury Public Schools and the Wellesley Public Schools, with a career emphasis on special education advocacy. In retirement, she served as a volunteer child advocate for the CASA Project in Worcester from 2005-2013. Helen is currently on the boards of Buddy Dog Humane Society and the Goodnow Library Foundation, where she is immediate past Board president; she is the former president of the Sudbury Garden Club. Helen holds a B.A. from Colgate University and an M.Ed. from Tufts University. Helen and her husband, Miner, reside in Sudbury.

Jeff Glidden is the retired SVP and CFO of Parametric Technology Corporation, a post he held until 2015. Prior to that, Jeff served as CFO for a number of companies including Airvana, RSA Security, Stream International, and Banyan Systems. Jeff serves on the Board of Trustees at the New Hampton School; Executive Committee of Epilepsy Foundation; President’s Circle of the Maine Coast Heritage Trust; the Conservation Trusts of Kennebunkport and Boxborough; and the Planned Giving Committee of United Church of Christ. Prior to joining Discovery Museum’s Board, Jeff was co-chair of the museum’s Capital Campaign, which raised $8.8M against an $8.4M goal. Jeff earned a B.S. from Union College and an M.B.A. from Harvard University. Jeff and his wife, Janet, reside in Boxborough.

Kerry Hawitt, Ph.D is Head of Business Performance & Operations at Shire, where she has held senior leadership positions since 2006 including Head of Quality Systems & Product Quality, Head of Product Lifecycle Quality, Head of Product Quality Management, and Director of Global Quality Compliance. Kerry is a member of the Royal Society of Biology; Parenteral Drug Association; HBA - Healthcare Women’s Association; and The Boston Club, one of the largest communities of women executives and professional leaders in the Northeast. Kerry was educated in the United Kingdom, where she earned Bachelor of Science and PhD degrees in Microbiology. She lives in Harvard with her family.

Andrew H. Howard is an Assistant Vice President in Commercial Lending at Middlesex Savings Bank and has been with the Bank since 2012. Prior to joining Middlesex Savings Bank, Andrew held positions within the financial services and technology fields. He is currently on the Board of Directors with the Greater Lowell Chamber Of Commerce where he serves on the Community Service Committee, and is a member of the Middlesex West Chamber of Commerce. He is also an active member of his Church, and a volunteer youth sports coach. Andrew earned a B.S. from Suffolk University and an MBA from Assumption College. Andrew lives in Westford with his wife and children who have enjoyed their membership with the Museum since 2013.

“We are thrilled to add four talented individuals to our Board at this wonderful time in our 35-year history,” said Bill Ryan, Board Chair. “Helen, Jeff, Kerry, and Andrew join us just as we kick off serving families in the region in our new and accessible building, the culmination of many years of planning and effort and the conclusion of a successful $8.8M capital campaign. The next steps will be important ones as we work to leverage the tremendous support of our community to make a powerful impact on the next generation of children and families.”

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About the Discovery Museum

Discovery Museum is a hands-on museum that blends science, nature, and play, inspiring families to explore and learn together. The museum and its Discovery Woods accessible outdoor nature playscape and 550 sf treehouse blend the best of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning on a beautiful 4.5-acre campus abutting 180 acres of conservation land in Acton, MA, about 20 miles west of Boston. Originally founded in 1982 and expanded to two museums in 1987, the museum reopened in a single, 16,000sf accessible building after a complete renovation and expansion in early 2018. Hands-on, open-ended exhibits developed by professional educators inspire curiosity and exploration, providing a fun and engaging experience for children and adults to discover their world together. Serving families and schools from towns throughout the region, the museum is devoted to informal education that enhances classroom learning. Discovery Museum is committed to accessibility, and is a proud recipient of the 2017 Massachusetts Commonwealth Award, the only winner in the Access category. For more information please visit www.discoveryacton.org. Discovery Museum is a community-supported non-profit organization.

Discovery Museum programming is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

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