Former magazine editor takes helm of Naples museum

NAPLES — Jonathan Foerster, a former newspaper and magazine reporter and editor has been named CEO of the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples. The appointment is a promotion for Foerster, who was previously COO of the nonprofit.

Foerster replaces Dena Rae Hancock as CEO, according to a statement. Hancock was named the first member of the newly formed CMON Advisory Board, the release adds.

“As we enter our tenth year of operating the museum, the board wanted to ensure its leadership for the future,” board of directors chairwoman Jodie Montgomery says in the release. “Jonathan and Dena Rae bring a wealth of experience in nonprofit leadership and fundraising. We are excited to see where CMON is headed after these changes.”

Prior to his arrival at CMON, Foerster was the director of community affairs at Humane Society Naples and communications director for Artis–Naples. A Naples resident since 2003, Foerster came to the area as a reporter for the Naples Daily News and later served as executive editor of Gulfshore Life magazine.

“I’m incredibly honored and humbled by the opportunity to lead CMON,” Foerster says in the release. “In the 10 years since it opened, the museum has provided a valuable resource for children and families, helping spur educational growth in a relaxed, fun environment. I am excited to keep moving that mission forward.”

Hancock led CMON as CEO through the pandemic and the loss of longtime leader Karysia Demarest. She will move into the for-profit sector while leading the newly formed advisory board, which, the organization says, will “provide high-level fundraising and policy advice and support to the CMON board and leadership.”

“From our first weeks in Naples, it was clear to my family that CMON is a big part of what makes this community special,” Hancock says in the release. “I’m excited to help this great organization as it builds into the future.”

The Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples is Southwest Florida’s first museum devoted for children and families to learn through play. With hands-on exhibit galleries, the accessible museum invites visitors of all ages to journey through the swamps of the Everglades, weave through a maze, climb a two-story banyan tree, or experiment with the water play station. The organization had $19.3 million in assets in its most recent fiscal year, public tax documents show, and $2.52 million in revenue.