The Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert made the following announcement on March 11:

Rancho Mirage, CA – The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert (CDMoD) is pleased to announce that Cindy Burreson will be transitioning from part-time Interim Executive Director to full-time Chief Executive Officer of the organization, effective March 15, 2021. Burreson will lead the 30-year-old nonprofit as it initiates a comprehensive overhaul of exhibits and programming to serve families in the Coachella Valley, working towards a revitalized museum experience and safe reopening in 2022.

“The Museum is a community treasure in our valley,” states Burreson. “I am thrilled to take on the role of Chief Executive Officer for the Children's Discovery Museum of the Desert. We have an enormous journey ahead of us that consists of not only operations, but nurturing collaborations with local and regional partners and building community relationships so that we can reopen with a reimagined vision that will be sustainable for years to come.” 

The reimagined vision that Burreson will implement on behalf of CDMoD’s Board of Directors will include new exhibits and programming and will require a major fundraising initiative to accomplish. The museum is counting on the collective efforts of community, civic and corporate partners as well as invested families and individuals in order to achieve their goals. “We need our community's support now more than ever,” said Burreson.

The Children’s Discovery Museum of the Desert (CDMoD) has been closed to the public since the State issued a COVID-19 stay-at-home order in March 2020. During the closure, the CDMoD Board of Directors initiated a program of self-evaluation in which it prioritized steps for the future. These steps included development of the Board of Directors, mobilization of Discovery Partners - the board’s fundraising arm, and hiring a leader to oversee Museum operations and fundraising efforts.

As a 15-year Coachella Valley resident, Burreson’s roots are strong in hospitality and community leadership roles. She brings a wide variety of experience to CDMoD from managerial positions in the corporate sector for such organizations as Tommy Bahama and Marriot International. Burreson has been recognized as ‘Businessperson of the Year’ by the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce and awarded the ‘Excellence in Hospitality and Service Award’ from Greater Palm Springs Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. Burreson is an alumni of Leadership Coachella Valley and has completed the Marriott Global University Sales and Service training program.

Burreson’s extensive volunteer leadership roles in the nonprofit arena have included board member positions for the Greater Coachella Valley and Palm Desert Chambers of Commerce and Vice President of the Palm Springs Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE). She also recently held the positions of Secretary of the Board of Directors for CDMoD, President of the Greater Palm Springs Wedding Association and Board Member and Keynote Speaker for Shelter From the Storm. Over the past year, Burreson has been enjoying contributing her time as a reader for The United Way of the Desert’s Friday Night Bedtime Story program. Burreson resides in Palm Desert with her husband Derek and two children: Dyson, 10 and Dylan, 8.

Potential donors, partners, corporate sponsors and volunteers are encouraged to contact Cindy Burreson at Exec@CDMoD.org.