Children’s Museum of Atlanta Names New Executive Director; Edwin Link to Succeed Jane Turner

Children’s Museum of Atlanta today announces that Edwin Link will become Executive Director of the nearly 20-year-old cultural institution, effective July 1, 2022. The Museum, its Board of Directors and its internal team celebrate current Executive Director Jane Turner’s leadership as she announces her retirement after serving nearly two decades. Link is set to join the Museum with extensive philanthropic experience, most recently holding the role of Executive Director of Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation, a nonprofit focused on building a better tomorrow by bringing individuals into a world of sight.

With more than 15 years serving in nonprofit, human services, education and youth development sectors, Link brings a passion for the arts to the Museum. He remains steadfast in his commitment to advocating on behalf of America’s youth, having spent his early career at Woodruff Arts Center and later working for Boys & Girls Club of America.

“Providing children and families access to programs and services that allow them to thrive has always been a major focus of my work. I have been lucky enough to work on behalf of missions that understand the needs of the communities they serve, and I enjoy seeking solutions to address the most significant challenges collaboratively,” said incoming Executive Director Edwin Link. “Jane has left an incredible legacy, and I am humbled by the opportunity to further elevate ways the Museum can impact the children within our community.”

Throughout his professional career, Link has made it a mission to effect meaningful change that nurtures families and children. He has championed campaigns to expand access to high-quality arts initiatives in after-school programs; convened stakeholders to increase the number of STEM-ready graduates nationwide; and more recently, implemented an innovative telehealth program to exponentially grow the number of Georgians receiving vision care. Link, who believes all Atlanta children deserve the academic, physical and mental health benefits of creativity, is committed to building upon the strong foundation at the Children’s Museum to ensure all children receive access to opportunities to grow and learn through the power of play.

During her tenure as Executive Director, Turner accrued an impressive list of accomplishments and partnerships – which she views as the “secret sauce” – that have elevated the educational destination to its coveted position within the city’s cultural landscape. Under her leadership, the Museum completed an $8.2 million capital campaign and then a $2.2 million campaign in response to COVID-19’s impact. The institution has welcomed and served over 3 million children and families under Turner’s guidance and completed a full renovation in 2015. That reinvention allowed the Museum to engage more of Atlanta’s families, schools and children, while also positioning it for growth and financial resilience.

“The work of raising children rests on the shoulders of individual parents, but it also resides with the community at large. Children’s museums are welcoming, engaging, educational and fun destinations that provide an unmatched opportunity to reach families and the community on topics great and small,” said outgoing Executive Director Jane Turner. “I started working at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta with an intuitive sense of the importance of play and the power of the arts, which I believe all people share. We all remember the joy of playing as children, and we understand that it is the way that children learn about and navigate their world, their circumstances, and create a path towards their future.”

Prior to joining Children’s Museum of Atlanta, Turner worked for 15 years in the health care technology industry in Washington, D.C. before moving to Atlanta with her family in 1992. Upon her arrival, she became immersed in the vibrant arts and culture as a volunteer and board member in the theater community at Georgia Shakespeare. Jane credits her work at the Museum to a natural progression from her involvement at Georgia Shakespeare where she was able to fully grasp and embrace the power the arts could have as a source of education and inspiration.