Lousville Life

Joanna E. Hass is the new director of the Louisville Science Center. She assumed this post in September 2008. Prior to this Ms. Haas served as director of Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh for three years.

Founded as a "cabinet of curiosities" in the Public Library System of Kentucky in 1871, today the Louisville Science Center is the largest hands-on science center in Kentucky. The facility includes about 150 interactive exhibits and activity stations, a four-story IMAX Theatre, teaching laboratories, a variety of educational programs, and distance learning capabilities. Designated the "State Science Center of Kentucky" by the 2002 Kentucky General Assembly, the Science Center serves over 550,000 persons annually.

A native of Northern Kentucky, Ms. Haas holds a B.S. degree in Psychology from Denison University and began her career at Ohio’s Center of Science & Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio. There, over a nearly ten year span, she held a number of management positions in COSI’s education department before being named Vice President of Operations. Haas joined Ford Motor Company in 1998 and in 1999 became its Spirit of Ford Director, a position responsible for establishing and perpetuating the corporation’s values and image in a family-centered, interactive environment. In 2001, she was named Director of the non-profit Henry Ford Museum, where her responsibilities included leadership of the institution’s vast array of educational programs, as well as all museum, IMAX®, and visitor service activities. Haas has consulted with science centers and other non-profit groups in the United States and Canada around the topics of staff, educational programming and service culture development.

In April of 2006, Haas’ family expanded through adoption to include Winston Palmer Haas. Ms. Haas enjoys the arts, culture, sports and outdoor amenities.