Ellen M. Rosenthal, Vice Chair
Museum Consultant; Retired President and CEO of Conner Prairie
Ellen Rosenthal came out of retirement in 2022 to direct Executive Volunteer Service, a program of the United Way of Central Indiana, that deploys the skills and experience of executives to assist nonprofits. She retired in 2016 after nearly 13 years as a transformational President and CEO of Conner Prairie, a living history museum in Fishers, IN. What had been a traditional living-history museum became an internationally acclaimed industry leader as a successful, immersive, and interactive destination. During her 40-year career in museums, Ellen learned the strategies and practices that help nonprofits succeed.
Under Ellen’s leadership, Conner Prairie received the nation’s highest honor for museums, the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ National Medal, and became Indiana’s first Smithsonian Affiliate. From a field of 18,000 museums, the authors of the book Magnetic: The Art and Science of Engagement (2013) featured Conner Prairie as one of six case studies of museums demonstrating prolonged business success and “tangible cultural and civic value.” In 2012, the National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded $2.3 million to Conner Prairie to develop, mount and test an exhibit blending hands-on science and history: NSF’s largest grant to a history museum to date.
A recipient of many awards and recognitions, Ellen was twice named by former Indiana Gov. Mike Pence as a Sagamore of the Wabash. The Indianapolis Business Journal identified her as one of the state’s Most Influential Women and former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels recognized Ellen as a Distinguished Hoosier. Indiana Representative Susan Brooks honored Ellen in the United States House of Representatives with a tribute for “her outstanding service to Conner Prairie”. Other awards include the Leading Light for achievements in science, education and technology from Indiana-based Women and Hi Tech, the Excellence in Innovation from the Indiana Innovation Awards, the Commitment to Creativity Trailblazers award from University High School and the Torchbearer award from Indiana Commission for Women.
Serving the community has always been a high priority for Ellen. At the request of former Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels she joined the Indiana Bicentennial Commission in 2013, chairing the Legacy Committee that approved over 1000 local and state projects in honor of the state’s 2016 bicentennial. In 2015, Mayor Scott Fadness, Fishers, IN, asked her to serve on his six member Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which oversaw development of the city’s new strategic plan. As an extension of that service, Ellen chaired the committee to review Fishers’ residential codes.
In 2016, she served on the Indiana Art Commission’s Strategic Planning Committee. Currently, Ellen serves on the Board of Visitors, the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN and on the board of Hoosier Environmental Council.
Originally from New Jersey, Ellen earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum laude from Barnard College at Columbia University in New York City, a master’s degree in
American material culture from the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library at University of Delaware in Wilmington, and a master’s degree with high distinction in public management from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. She completed a doctoral level course in museum learning through the Learning Research and Development Center, University of Pittsburgh and subsequently was named a partner of the federally funded initiative, the Museum Learning Collaborative. Ellen also studied leadership at the Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania.
Ellen lives in Indianapolis with her husband Dr. Theodore Logan, an oncologist at the Indiana University Medical Center. They have three adult sons.