Award-Winning Children's Museum In Norwalk Hires New Chief Executive Officer

NORWALK, CT — Stepping Stones Museum for Children, an award-winning children’s museum in Norwalk, announced this week the appointment of Frankie Dominic Vagnone as the museum's new chief executive officer.

According to a news release provided by Stepping Stones, Vagnone was appointed following an extensive national search process. He will begin his new role in June.

Vagnone will be just the second CEO in the museum’s 25-year history. Interim Executive Director Amanda Connell will resume her role as vice president of human resources and support services.

Vagnone brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience transforming major cultural institutions, with a particular focus on innovative community engagement and dynamic educational programming, according to Stepping Stones.

His proven expertise in creating engaging, interactive experiences for children and families has consistently driven record-breaking attendance and community participation at the institutions he has led, according to Stepping Stones.

"Last month, Stepping Stones Museum for Children marked an exciting milestone as we celebrated the museum's 25th anniversary," Barbara Koteen, chair of the museum's Board of Directors, said in a news release. "Our collective excitement continues as we welcome Frankie as the museum’s next leader. We are beyond thrilled to bring him aboard. His innovative approach to cultural spaces and proven track record of transformative leadership make him the ideal person to lead Stepping Stones into its next chapter. His passion for creating engaging, hands-on learning environments for children aligns perfectly with our mission to broaden and enrich educational opportunities for children and their families."

Throughout his career, Vagnone has developed specialized programming for children on the autism spectrum, with varying cognitive and physical abilities, created contemporary art engagements within cultural sites for families, and designed large-scale community programs focused on kinesthetic learning and childhood engagement, according to Stepping Stones.

His expertise extends beyond programming to collaborative nonprofit leadership, where he has consistently built organizational capacity and professionalism while strengthening mission focus and financial stability.

Internationally recognized for his innovative approach to cultural institutions, Vagnone has written extensively on reimagining visitor engagement and creating meaningful experiences in cultural spaces, according to Stepping Stones.

Vagnone served as president and CEO of Old Salem Historic District & Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts, where he significantly increased attendance through award-winning educational initiatives including "Learning in Place," which used STEAM principles to enrich children's hands-on learning experiences, according to Stepping Stones.

His "Access Salem" program provided educational opportunities for children with cognitive and physical challenges. His successful winter fair and Salem Saturdays at Christmas events saw overwhelming attendance and revenue increases, according to Stepping Stones.

Vagnone has also held leadership positions at the Newport Restoration Foundation, the Historic House Trust of New York City, the Philadelphia Society for the Preservation of Landmarks, the Bryn Athyn Cathedral Complex and Charity in Action.

"I am honored to join Stepping Stones Museum for Children at such a pivotal time in its history," Vagnone said in a news release. "As the son of a single parent who operated a preschool from our home, I witnessed firsthand the power of thoughtfully designed early childhood environments. Throughout my career, I've observed how children engage with spaces differently than adults—touching, exploring, and questioning everything around them. What visitors might see as play is actually a carefully designed relationship between early childhood development and family engagement. The museum experience requires sensitivity to both the child's journey and the caregiver's needs. Having long advocated for cultural institutions to address contemporary community needs, I'm thrilled to join an organization that has already embedded this philosophy in its mission. I look forward to building upon the excellent foundation of Stepping Stones to create even more dynamic learning environments where children and families can fully engage with their surroundings."

Vagnone holds a master's degree in architecture from Columbia University, bringing unique insights into both the physical and programmatic aspects of creating engaging spaces for children. His anthropological studies in early childhood environments, self-curated spatial constructions, and personal boundary concepts inform his distinctive approach to designing interactive spaces, according to Stepping Stones.

His research-based, educational approach to visitor engagement draws on decades of studying how people of all ages interact with built environments, backed by a lifelong commitment to teaching and developing evidence-based methodologies for meaningful learning experiences, according to Stepping Stones.

Vagnone also brings substantial experience in exhibition and play environment design for children, implementing spaces that balance educational goals with engaging, tactile experiences, according to Stepping Stones.

More information about the museum is available at www.steppingstonesmuseum.org.