Perot Museum Leadership

Chair: Mac McFarland

Vice Chair: Karen Katz

Secretary: Andrew Gould

Treasurer: Lane Britain

Linda Silver, Ed.D. | Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer

Linda Silver, Ed.D., joined the Perot Museum of Nature and Science in July 2017 as the Eugene McDermott Chief Executive Officer. Under her leadership, the Perot Museum has launched several successful new initiatives including the complete redesign of the museum’s Being Human Hall; innovative programs for guest engagement; the installation of a new Paleo Lab that provides visitors real-time views of the museum’s field research and discoveries; the announcement of two Centers of Excellence – in gems and minerals and paleoanthropology; and a partnership with National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Prof. Lee Berger and the University of the Witwatersrand that produced a world-first virtual reality tour of one of the most significant human ancestor fossil sites on Earth.

Prior to leading the Perot Museum, Linda worked for the government of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates where she served as associate director of the Technology Development Committee. While in this position, she oversaw the creation and growth of informal science education initiatives aimed at building a sustainable and diversified knowledge economy for integration into the global ecosystem. Prior to this position, she spent eight years as the president and CEO of Great Lakes Science Center – one of the nation’s leading science and technology centers. She led the center in its first-ever strategic planning process and achieved a financial turnaround, taking the institution from operating losses to a balanced budget and creating a 75% earned-revenue business model.

Additionally, she developed crucial relationships with diverse stakeholders in the community to develop and deliver cutting-edge science education programming at the Museum and throughout the community.

She holds degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles – Bachelor of Arts; Pepperdine University – Master of Business Administration; the University of Southern California — Doctorate of Education and Harvard Business School – Executive Education Program. Linda is a passionate and experienced museum leader with an unparalleled track record of delivering exceptional science education, civic and community engagement, and operational excellence.

Mary Baerg | Chief Experience Officer

Mary Baerg joined the Perot Museum as our Chief Experience Officer, a newly created position for the institution, with responsibility for the vision of Programs, Community Engagement, Guest Services, and earned revenue partners. Most recently having served as Director of Guest Experience Operations at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHMLA), Mary directed key guest experience projects as the museum transformed 60% of its public space. Additionally, she was responsible for the first touch points of the guest experience including ticketing systems, guest relations, food service, retail, and photography. Prior to NHMLA, she held roles at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory as Deputy Lead of the Mars Public Engagement team and at the Great Lakes Science Center as Senior Vice President of Operations. She also held previous roles at NHMLA in marketing, education, and guest services management. She received her Communications degree from California State University. With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit, government, and corporate environments and a lifetime of conducting engaging experiences that connect people to each other and nature, Mary is uniquely qualified for this new position. Through her passion, vision, and expertise she will bring this role to life for both our institution and our guests in a meaningful and impactful way. Mary resides in Dallas and has a school-age son.

Julie Diaz | Chief Advancement Officer

In fall 2017, Julie Diaz joined the Perot Museum as Chief Advancement Officer in a newly created position that integrates development, membership, marketing and communications, sales, and events under one umbrella. Most recently serving for 10 years as Chief Advancement Officer at Greenhill School, an independent co-educational day school in greater Dallas, Julie led the school’s $55 million Building Community Campaign to transform the campus with a new performing arts center, modern dining facilities, athletic fields, and significant endowment growth. Julie is credited with aligning branding and marketing efforts to the school’s mission, and creating a print, media, and digital footprint that speaks to the Dallas community at large. She worked closely with the Board of Trustees and volunteer leadership, and provided strategic direction to the school and administration. Prior to working at Greenhill, Julie served in senior leadership development roles at the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and WGBH Educational Foundation where she specialized in building innovative and technologically advanced development programs. Julie’s visionary leadership and depth of experience will provide a strong framework for the Perot Museum as it prepares for the future. She received her BA in Arts Management from Salem College, MBA from Boston University, and currently serves as Adjunct Professor of the MA/MBA program at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows School of the Arts. Julie lives in Dallas with her husband, Andres, and their two sons.

Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D. | Vice President of Research and Collections and Chief Curator

As far back as he can remember, Anthony R. Fiorillo, Ph.D., wanted to do one of two things professionally: play center field for the New York Yankees or study dinosaurs. Much to the detriment of his parents’ retirement plans, he studies dinosaurs. He was born and raised in the northeast, received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut and his Master of Science from the University of Nebraska. He completed his Ph.D. work in vertebrate paleontology at the University of Pennsylvania, became the Rea Postdoctoral Fellow at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, and then a museum scientist at the Museum of Paleontology at the University of California-Berkeley.

Since 1995 Dr. Fiorillo has been the Curator of Earth Sciences and in 2014 was named Vice President, Research and Collections and Chief Curator at the Perot Museum. Though he has collected fossils throughout North America and parts of Asia, he has primarily worked in western Texas and Alaska. For him, the appeal of fieldwork in Alaska is the result of the combination of intellectual pursuit and the rigors of working in the Arctic environment. His pursuits have resulted in numerous discoveries including a new species of the ceratopsid dinosaur called Pachyrhinosaurus perotorum and a new genus and species of a tyrannosaur named Nanuqsaurus hoglundi.

Dr. Fiorillo is also an adjunct associate professor at Southern Methodist University in the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, a research affiliate for the University of Alaska, and an Invited Professor for Hokkaido University Museum. He chaired, co-chaired, and served on the Education Committee of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology from 1996-2004. His work on ancient terrestrial ecosystems has taken him into over a dozen units of the National Park Service and won him national recognition in 2007, receiving the National Park Service, Alaska Region Natural Resource Research Award. He became a Geological Society of America Fellow in 2008 and in 2013 he was given the Distinguished Alumni award by University of Nebraska Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. For him, the appeal of the work in Alaska is the result of the combination of intellectual pursuit and the rigors of working in the Arctic environment. Tony has published over 100 scientific papers, co-edited four scholarly volumes, and recently written a book on Alaskan dinosaurs.

Dave Humphries | Chief Operating Officer

Dave Humphries joined the Perot Museum in October 2014 as Chief Information Officer, and in the winter of 2016 took on the interim role of Vice President of Revenue Operations. Through this interim position, Dave took on the additional responsibility of overseeing the revenue generating sectors for the institution. Because of his success and strong leadership while serving in both roles, a new position was created — Chief Operating Officer — that he has assumed. In this new position, he oversees all business operations, leads the systems and technology strategy, and evaluates and enhances the digital experience for our guests. Before joining the Museum, Dave served as Managing Director, IT, at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation where he had responsibility for all information technology. Earlier in his career Dave spent 15 years at Fidelity Investments in multiple technology roles ranging from running support organizations to process design and implementation. He has a Bachelor of Science in Business from Indiana University and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. He and his wife, Amy, reside in Flower Mound with their four children.

Dan Kohl | Chief Innovation Officer

Since joining the Perot Museum in August 2009, Dan Kohl served as director of design during the construction of the new building and currently serves as chief innovation officer. Dan has more than four decades of experience as an exhibit designer and has worked with leading museums, zoos, aquaria and theme parks and collaborated with other top designers, architects, and artists. Dan is recognized for his proficiency in crafting unique story-based exhibits and engaging visitor experiences, including coordination of the $110 million expansion of the Denver Art Museum. Dan graduated with honors in 1976 from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in landscape architecture.