Innovation Award recipients, the Friends of the National Zoo Department of Visitor Education. The team is led by Laura Klopfer, Senior Manager Visitor Education and Volunteers. She shares the award with Bob Cmarik, Nick Davis, Lucila Fernandez, Suzanne Hough, Erika Novak, Lois Phoebus, Rebecca Sohmer, Kirstin Schoeninger, and Caroline Winslow. In photograph, pictured from left, top row: Lucila Fernandez, Laura Klopfer, Erika Novak, Bob Cmarik, Kirstin Schoeninger, Suzanne Hough, and Rebecca Sohmer. Bottom row: Dennis Kelly (Director, National Zoological Park), Lois Phoebus, Jackie Vinick, Caroline Winslow, Lynn Mento (Executive Director, Friends of the National Zoo, National Zoological Park), and Secretary David Skorton.
The Smithsonian Education Awards recognize creativity, excellence, and commitment to serving the nation through educational programming, exhibits, publications, and digital media. At the 2016 ceremony, Kimberly Arcand (Visualization Lead, Chandra X-ray Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) received the Achievement Award for bringing innovative data-visualization projects to a worldwide audience. The FONZ Department of Visitor Education and Volunteer Services (National Zoological Park) received the Innovation Award for audience engagement programming for “Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea.” The awards were presented by Dr. David Skorton, Secretary of Smithsonian “, and remarks were given by Patricia Bartlett (Acting Assistant Secretary for Education and Access), Roger Brissenden (Deputy Director, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and Manager, Chandra X-ray Center), Dennis Kelly (Director, National Zoological Park), and Stephanie Norby (Director, Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access). The awards program was endowed by the Smithsonian Women’s Committee in honor of their 40th anniversary of service to the Smithsonian. It is managed by the Smithsonian Center for Learning and Digital Access.
