About Dené Mosier, President/CEO

Dené Mosier has led the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center since August of 2015.  Under her leadership the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center has achieved a 70 percent increase in attendance and become a beloved institution, offering hands-on exhibits and educational programs that inspire creativity and curiosity in children. She has led the organization in eliminating all original construction debt, launching a mobile museum, creating programming for children facing life threatening illnesses through the Medical Warriors program and establishing the Play Free program, a prison partnership that allows children to meet their incarcerated mothers or grandmothers at the museum to play.

In 2024, she launched a capital expansion project to double the size of the museum and add classroom space for child care programs. The expansion opened in 2025, anchored by the World’s Tallest Climbable Sunflower alongside galleries telling the story of Kansas with local art and interactive experiences.

She is passionate about providing opportunities for all children to learn and grow through play and exploration, and is dedicated to making the museum a welcoming and inclusive space for all families.

In addition to her work at the Discovery Center, Dené is actively involved in national advocacy on behalf of children and families. She was selected as a 2025 Aspen Fellow by the Aspen Institute, the first Kansan ever selected for the prestigious national fellowship.  Currently, she holds the position of Chair of Strategic Initiatives on the Executive Committee for the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Board of Directors. She has previously served as Vice President of Initiatives for the ACM.

Locally, she serves on the Visit Topeka Board of Directors, served on the Momentum 2027 Steering Committee and serves on the Momentum 2027 Leadership Cabinet.

She comes to this position with a unique and diverse understanding of human development. She worked for many years in the classroom as an early childhood educator and later as the head of the lower school at a small independent school. She obtained both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from Kansas State University, where she also served as an instructor teaching courses on human development.

Dené enjoys spending time hiking and exploring nature. She and her husband have two daughters.