National Women's History Museum Appoints Strategic Leaders Scott Hefter and Joyce Winnecke to Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Women's History Museum (NWHM) is proud to announce the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors: Scott Hefter and Joyce Winnecke. Their combined expertise in digital innovation, organizational strategy, and compelling storytelling will accelerate the Museum's ability to deliver on its digital-first strategy and expand the ways women's history is preserved, shared, and celebrated.

"As we transform the museum experience through cutting-edge digital platforms and immersive storytelling, Scott and Joyce bring the strategic vision and operational excellence we need to reach new audiences and deepen engagement across communities," said Frédérique Irwin, President and CEO of NWHM. "They understand that technology is not an end in itself—it's a powerful tool for democratizing access to women's stories and creating spaces where every woman's history matters."

About Scott Hefter

Scott Hefter is currently a Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), focused on the Federal Government, and serves on several nonprofit and private boards. With more than 30 years of leadership in management consulting, he has built a distinguished career solving complex strategy and operations challenges across private, public and social sectors.

As a business builder and global collaborator, Scott has worked with clients across more than 30 countries and diverse industries including telecommunications, consumer products, and the public sector. His experience includes serving as CEO of PRTM, where he led one of the most successful professional services integrations in history with PwC, later becoming U.S. Management Consulting Leader and a member of PwC's Global Leadership Team. He also served as COO for AmeriCorps in a federal, non-political role.

In recent years, Hefter has focused on building models that foster meaningful dialogue and connection across geographies and generations, exploring how virtual engagement, technology, and AI can strengthen civic and cultural participation.

About Joyce Winnecke

Joyce Winnecke is an accomplished strategist, journalist, and media executive who advises businesses and nonprofit organizations on strategy, communications, and transformation. Her career uniquely combines deep journalistic integrity with P&L responsibility, audience engagement, and brand development, an expertise that she brings to NWHM at a pivotal moment. 

During her distinguished career in journalism and media, Joyce held senior editorial leadership positions at the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times, where she directed award-winning newsrooms, led business operations and drove digital transformation initiatives.  As President of Tribune Content Agency, she reversed a decade-long decline for the 100-year-old syndication business, leading digital innovation and pioneering new business models in the evolving media landscape.

Beyond the newsroom, Joyce's commitment to values-based leadership and championing women is evident throughout her career and service. She is Immediate Past President of YWCA Metropolitan Chicago and Immediate Past President of International Women's Forum Chicago, bringing deep experience in advancing women's leadership and equity. She currently serves on the boards of WITS (Working in the Schools), the largest independent provider of literacy services for Chicago Public Schools, and St. Laurence High School, a leadership-focused institution serving primarily scholarship students.

"Our Board is growing at exactly the right moment," said Susan Whiting, Board Chair. "Scott's deep experience in strategy and organizational transformation, and Joyce's leadership navigating media companies through major shifts in communications and audience engagement, align directly with our evolution into a digital-first museum."

Their appointments follow the Museum's recent expansion of its leadership team with the addition of Lisa Franklin as the first Chief Marketing Officer. With these strategic investments, NWHM is poised to grow its reach, deepen its engagement with diverse communities, and ensure that women's stories take their rightful place in the American narrative.

"Welcoming leaders of this caliber reflects the momentum of this moment," said Singleton McAllister, Board Vice-Chair. "Scott and Joyce understand not only governance and transformation, but the power of narrative, and that makes them invaluable partners in our digital-first future."

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 groundbreaking 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).

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SOURCE NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MUSEUM