CLEVELAND—July 24, 2025—The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is proud to announce that its President & CEO, Sonia Winner, has been selected as a member of In Counsel with Women, an exclusive organization comprising top women executives and leaders from across Northeast Ohio.
In Counsel with Women is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections among the region’s most accomplished women professionals, offering a trusted forum for collaboration, growth, and impact. Members represent a wide range of industries, with a shared commitment to leadership excellence and community advancement.
I’m honored to join such a dynamic and influential network of leaders,” said Winner. “In Counsel with Women provides a unique opportunity for members to engage in meaningful dialogue and collectively shape the future of our region.”
Winner has served as President & CEO of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History since 2018, spearheading one of the most ambitious and impactful museum transformations in recent memory. Under her leadership, the Museum completed a $150 million, 375,000-square-foot reinvention—the most comprehensive transformation in the institution’s 105-year history. Winner’s vision redefined the role of a natural history museum in the 21st century, making science personal, accessible, and relevant to everyday life. This project has garnered national attention, with The New York Times and The Today Show spotlighting the Museum’s pioneering model of visitor-centered, inquiry-based engagement.
Prior to her current role, Winner held senior advancement leadership positions at Columbia University and Case Western Reserve University, contributing to historic fundraising efforts and international philanthropic engagement. A licensed attorney and a passionate advocate for education, equity, and civic leadership, she has served on numerous boards and committees, including the American Alliance of Museums and the Cleveland State University College of Law.
Winner’s accomplishments have earned her a long list of honors, including Crain’s Cleveland Business’s Women of Note, Cleveland Magazine’s Community Leader of the Year, and a Smart Business Magazine Progressive Woman honoree, among others. She was most recently a recipient of University Circle Inc.’s Stephanie Tubbs Jones Neighborhood Leadership Award and named to Leadership Cleveland’s Class of 2025.
Winner’s inclusion in In Counsel with Women highlights the innovative leadership at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and underscores the institution’s commitment to making a positive impact in Northeast Ohio and beyond.
About the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History illuminates the world around us and inspires visitors to engage with the natural forces that shape their lives. Since its founding in 1920, the Museum has pioneered scientific research to advance knowledge across diverse fields of study and used its outstanding collections, which encompass millions of artifacts and specimens, to deepen the public’s understanding of the dynamic connections between humans and nature. Through its Natural Areas Program, the Museum stewards more than 12,500 acres of protected ecosystems across northern Ohio. A community gathering place, educational center, and research institution, the Museum is a vital resource that serves Cleveland and the nation. For more information, visit CMNH.org.
Media Contact
Samantha Guenther
External Communications Manager, Marketing & Communications
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Office: 216.231.4600 x3432
Mobile: 440.429.2902
sguenther@cmnh.org
