Patty Dowd Schmitz was named President & CEO of the National First Ladies Library and Museum at the First Ladies National Historic Site in March of 2023. She is a native of North Canton, Ohio, but spent the past 25 years of her career in the Chicago area, where she worked in executive leadership, marketing, fundraising, and consulting positions for various nonprofit cultural organizations. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University and has a deep passion for women in history. As a nationally known scholar of the children’s author Laura Ingalls Wilder, she has presented her research at numerous national conferences and events. In her current position as head of the National First Ladies Library & Museum, she works to tell the story of American history through the eyes of women and further the understanding of the significant contributions made by all our nation’s First Ladies.

Website: firstladies.org