news releases Children's Museum Names New Board of Directors Dr. Laurie Mitchell to Head Board February 28, 2007—The Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego has named its 2007 board of directors, complete with some fresh faces as well as some returning ones. According to Kay Wagner, executive director of the Museum, Laurie Mitchell, M.D., will serve as president. “With the grand opening of the new Museum quickly approaching, this year’s board of directors is faced with a great responsibility to the kids, families and residents of San Diego,” said Wagner. “From business professionals to philanthropists and art-lovers alike, the board puts forth a wide variety of talents, interests and skills and I am very pleased that each of them has so graciously committed their time and efforts to the Museum.” In addition to her position with the Museum, Mitchell is a practicing pediatrician at Southern Indian Health Council. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and serves on the Advisory Board of the local AAP Chapter as a facilitator for the AAP’s Community Access to Child Health. She also serves as the Coordinator for the Wellness Council of the Mountain Empire Unified School District, participates in the School Workgroup for the Coalition on Children and Weight San Diego, and is a member of the San Diego Women’s Foundation and the Collections Committee of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Joining Mitchell as new board members are co-vice presidents Patsy Marino and Sheryl White. Marino will serve as secretary and White as treasurer. Additional new members are Sepi Arrowsmith, Keith Colestock, Amelia Morris, Sarah Dolgen Ghanem, Andrea Greenberg, Steve Gustafson and Lorri Sulpizio. Past 2006 President Jason Hughes will return this year as a board member. Also returning are Doug Hutcheson and Fernando Corona, both of Leap Wireless International, Debby Jacobs, Gary Shaw and Lise Wilson. The Children’s Museum/Museo de los Niños San Diego is a cultural and educational institution with a quarter-century history of arts-based programs for children and their families. The new facility at 200 West Island Avenue in downtown San Diego is currently under construction and is scheduled to re-open January 2008. Architecturally unique, the $25 million structure contains a cooling tower, which exhausts hot air from the naturally cooled and heated gallery spaces. The majority of the gallery and staff spaces are naturally day lit, amplified by rooftop photovoltaic panels. Architects for the project worked with scientists and engineers at UCSD to create an environmentally friendly structure that will set a new standard for urban green architecture. The 50,000-square-foot, three-story facility will include art galleries, the Museum School, the Toddler Space, Clay, Art and Design Studios, the Tech Space, birthday party rooms, a revolving artist-in-residence space, children’s store and sit-down café. The adjacent Museum Park will include outdoor works by artists and space for children to create art. For more information on the Museum, visit childrensmuseumsd.org or phone 619 233 8792.