From Newsroom to Nonprofit: How Storytelling Built a Thriving Children's Museum

Jonathan Foerster, CEO of the Golisano Children's Museum of Naples, never planned to run a museum. He started as a journalist chasing stories, then found his way into nonprofits where he discovered that fundraising, leadership, and community building are really just storytelling in disguise. In this episode, Jonathan shares how curiosity became his operating system, why he raised membership prices and grew membership at the same time, how he is future-proofing the museum with an on-site preschool, and what the National Museum of African American History and Culture taught him about what a great museum visit should feel like. Whether you work in nonprofits, museums, or any mission-driven organization, this conversation is packed with honest, practical insight.Thank you for joining us on this journey and being part of today's conversation. If this episode inspired you or made you curious to learn more, please like and subscribe to the Cultural Animals: Museum Leadership Lab podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Don't forget to follow Veevart on LinkedIn, Meta, and X for our latest stories, topics, and updates about future episodes. Thanks again for listening, and as always, stay curious. All the links are in the description below.