Paula Gangopadhyay, Chief Learning Officer
Paula Gangopadhyay is the Chief Learning Officer at The Henry Ford. She is responsible for the leadership, strategic direction, design and development of education. She believes that classroom experiences for all types of learners can be enhanced by the holistic, cross-disciplinary and hands-on educational tools offered by museums. She has a master’s degree in history, certification in archival, museum and editing studies and a fellowship in education policy. During her 16-year career, Gangopadhyay has served as curator of education, public programs and visitor services at the Public Museum of Grand Rapids, executive director of the Great Lakes Center for Education, Research and Practice and executive director of the Commission for Lansing Schools Success (CLASS). She was also selected as a finalist for the 2000 Governor's Service award. In addition, she serves on several regional, state and national education boards and panels.
Catherine Tuczek, Curator of Education K-12 Programs
Catherine Tuczek is the Curator of Education for K-12 Programs at The Henry Ford. Catherine has been involved in planning, creating, evaluating and publicizing education resources, exhibits and websites. Transportation history is a major focus of her work. A former teacher, she has a Master of Arts degree in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Michigan.
Chris Hemler, Curator of Education, Youth, Adult and Digital Programs
Chris is our Curator of Education, Youth, Adult and Digital Programs. He is responsible for content development, implementation, and evaluation of programs for Boy & Girl Scouts, after-school, home school, adult audiences and proactively using digital outreach methods for these non-traditional learners. Chris graduated from University of Detroit Mercy with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies Education and is currently finishing his thesis for a Master of Arts in History from Oakland University.
Erin Milbeck Wilcox, Education Specialist, Special Projects
Erin is our Education Specialist, Special Projects. She has been working on supporting a wide variety of projects, including serving on some of the Driving America interactive teams, Maker Faire education team, Girl Scout programs as well as administering and compiling ongoing evaluations for The Henry Ford’s educational programs and prototypes. Erin graduated from Kalamazoo College with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and University of Washington with a Master of Arts in Museum Studies.
Phil Grumm, Digital Education Specialist
Phil is our Digital Education Specialist. He works with our online curriculum and digital educational products as well as the training of teachers who adopt them to evaluate product usage. In addition to his primary responsibilities, Phil keeps our website updated. He is currently in the process of acquiring his Master of Arts in Historical Administration from Eastern Illinois University and has a Bachelor of Arts in History and City/Regional Planning from Grand Valley State University.
