Ohioana announces new executive director
Kimberlee Kiehl, a resident of Lewis Center, has been named the new executive director of the Ohioana Library Association.
Kiehl, 65, is to become Ohioana’s seventh director, succeeding David Weaver, who is to retire soon, after nearly 20 years with the institution.
The Ohioana Library Association, founded in 1929, is dedicated to the state’s literaryheritage. It collects works – books, manuscripts, illustrations and more – created by and about Ohioans.
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Its projects include the annual Ohioana Book Festival, recently held April 20, and the Ohioana Awards.
Kiehl is slated to begin as director May 28. A native of Dayton, she has worked in a variety of jobs in the Columbus area, including as an associate professor at the College of Education and Human Ecology and associate dean for academic programs at The Ohio State University.
She served two tenures at the Center of Science and Industry (COSI), one as chief strategy and operations officer and later as senior vice president for experience and operations.
She has also been executive director of the Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center, an early-childhood education school in the Smithsonian Museums. She has worked at Ohio History Connection and most recently, as associate executive director and chief operating officer at the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA).
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Kiehl is a graduate of State University of New York at Geneseo, with a master’s degree from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, and a doctorate from Penn State University.
“I’m excited and gratified that an experienced leader with so much success in thenonprofit, museum and university sectors has elected to join our organization,” saidOhioana's board president John Sullivan.
“With Kim at the helm, Ohioana is poised to do incredible things for and with Ohio’s literary community. She deeply understands our core mission: promoting and amplifying Ohio’s rich literary heritage.”
Kiehl called the Ohioana Library a trove of the works of Ohio writers, poets, illustrators,musicians and more.
“These are the stories of all Ohioans, and we are committed to continuing to grow thecollection and shine a light on Ohio’s literary community leading up to our 100th anniversary,” she said.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohioana names Kimberlee Kiehl as new executive director
