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Frankie Vagnone
Chief Executive Officer, Stepping Stones Museum for Children · Norwalk, CT
Frankie Vagnone has been selected as Chief Executive Officer of Stepping Stones Museum for Children, which serves nearly 300,000 visitors annually. Nestled in historic Mathews Park, the whimsical 44,000-square foot facility is LEED-Gold certified and features STEAM-infused, hands-on exhibits including Big Adventures: Dinosaurs, ColorCoaster, Energy Lab®, Lights On!, StudioK, Tot Town®, the tented, open-air Celebration Courtyard, the state-of-the-art Multimedia Gallery, the ELLI+ Book NookSM, The Shop at Stepping Stones and the Healthyville® Cafe.
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.
Previously, 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. 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.
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. 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.
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.
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.