CMO Announcement: National Women's History Museum Appoints Lisa Franklin as First Chief Marketing Officer, Strengthening Digital-First Vision

National Women's History Museum Welcomes Lisa Franklin as First Chief Marketing Officer

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Women's History Museum (NWHM) is proud to announce the appointment of Lisa Franklin as its first-ever Chief Marketing Officer, a strategic investment that will deepen the Museum's reach, impact, and influence.

Franklin brings more than two decades of marketing and communications leadership to this role, with experience spanning global brands, professional sports, and technology leaders. Most recently, as Chief Marketing Officer for D.C. United, she increased season ticket sales while also driving record-breaking merchandise sales and fan engagement. She has held senior roles at ThriveDX, Deloitte, Verizon/AOL, Microsoft, and Meta, where she consistently built brand prominence, launched innovative digital strategies, and forged high-impact partnerships with household names like Amazon, Walmart, Pepsi, and Fox Sports.

As a digital-first museum, our virtual presence is a strategic advantage, allowing us to reach audiences everywhere and engage with culture in real time. This is key to our mission of making women's history and education accessible to all. It means using digital platforms to connect past and present, ensuring that women's stories are integrated into the broader cultural narrative, and bringing history to life where people live, work, learn, and play. It also means sharing the magic of stories too often left untold, inspiring today's young people to see themselves in history, and giving educators tools that make women's history not just accessible, but unforgettable.

"Lisa's track record of driving growth, building communities, and creating cultural moments is exactly what the Museum needs as we enter this next chapter," said Frédérique Irwin, President and CEO of the National Women's History Museum. "Her vision and leadership will help us amplify women's history and stories in step with the pace of cultural moments, ensuring they take their rightful place in history."

Her appointment comes on the heels of NWHM's launch of She Is Not a Footnote, our bold new cause campaign designed to reframe women's place in history and our collective future. With Franklin's expertise in integrated campaigns, brand storytelling, and corporate partnerships, the Museum is poised to expand its digital-first experiences, connect more deeply with diverse audiences, and engage strategically with corporations who believe that women and girls are central to our shared progress.

In addition to her brand and marketing leadership, Franklin will also support the Museum on the operational side, including tech integration and process-building. She will focus on strategic implementation, translating the Museum's mission and vision into practical, actionable steps, and process improvement, streamlining internal systems to enhance efficiency and long-term effectiveness.

"Lisa's decision to join the Museum at this moment underscores our commitment to building not just visibility, but also operational excellence," said Susan Whiting, Chair of the NWHM Board of Directors. "Her appointment reflects both the business imperative and the cultural opportunity in front of us, and it's exactly the right time to bring her leadership into this movement."

About the National Women's History Museum

Founded in 1996, the National Women's History Museum is the nation's leading digital-first institution dedicated to making women's history visible and accessible. Independent from the Smithsonian, NWHM reaches millions through innovative exhibitions, education programs, and research. We believe women's history is key to achieving equity—and central to the American story.

The Museum is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501(c)3. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and visit us at womenshistory.org.

SOURCE National Women’s History Museum (NWHM)