Alumni

Carter Arnot Polakoff ’87 Named Port Discovery’s Next President & CEO

This week, Port Discovery announced that Carter Arnot Polakoff ’87 will lead the children's museum following former CEO Bryn Parchman's retirement.
A former Port Discovery intern will become the museum's next president and CEO.

Carter Arnot Polakoff interned at Port Discovery more than 20 years ago as the children's museum was establishing itself in Downtown Baltimore. On Tuesday, museum officials announced she will take the reins following former CEO Bryn Parchman's retirement.

Polakoff, a Baltimore native, was so inspired by the Port Discovery vision that she transferred from Denison University in Ohio to Goucher College as an undergraduate in order to pursue an internship with the museum, according to her biography.

She was later hired at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where she spent two decades rising through the ranks from development associate to foundation director. In 2020, Polakoff made her return to Port Discovery, heading up fundraising and external affairs for the museum. Earlier this year, she was promoted to executive vice president, in charge of overseeing museum operations.

In a statement, Polakoff said she is proud to take the lead of an organization that helps children create memories "that will stay with them throughout their lives."

"There’s nothing more powerful and important than the impact those memories can have, both for children and for the adults in their lives," she said. "It’s a rare, important opportunity to be able to create experiences that create joy, that ignite imaginations, and that bring communities together, and I could not be prouder or more excited to lead Port Discovery’s teams of educators, dreamers, planners, and play experts as they do just that."
News of Polakoff's promotion comes during a busy time for the Downtown Baltimore museum, which is open again after a temporary pandemic-era shutdown. Earlier this year, Port Discovery announced it had received a $1 million philanthropic gift from the Sylvan Laureate Foundation to support its educational programs, exhibits and endowment. This week, museum officials said they have received several other grants, including a $193,426 award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services aimed at addressing the impacts of Covid-19.
"Kids need this sort of outlet now more than ever – they’ve been through an almost two year period where it’s been hard to play, to connect with others, and to learn," she said. "It’s been pretty traumatic for them – and for their families and caregivers. It’s important that Port Discovery is here and ready to provide kids and families with opportunities to play and have fun, to spend time together, to connect with others, and to rebuild important social skills. It’s also important that we give kids and families an outlet to express themselves and heal from all they’ve been through."

Future plans for the museum include new programming, as well as a capital project to renovate Port Discovery's 10,000-square-foot atrium into "a really exciting, functional and fun space for guests and event rentals," Polakoff said.

Polakoff lives in Baltimore with her husband, developer Sam Polakoff, and their two teenage sons.
Back
Calvert School is a coed independent lower and middle school.

Affiliations