Dr. Joe B. Keiper began serving as the new executive director of the Virginia Museum of Natural History in February 2010.

Keiper previously served as director of science, and curator and head of invertebrate zoology at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, where he supervised one-third of the museum’s staff, a major proportion of the volunteer force, and a vast majority of the museum’s student workers, including interns, seasonal workers, shadow students and apprentices. 

Keiper earned a bachelor’s degree from Bloomfield College and a master’s degree from Slippery Rock University.  He earned a doctorate in biology from Kent State University, where he was a university fellow.  Keiper then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California-Riverside.

"Strengthening our relationship with all Virginians is important to our long-term growth. I hope to excite the citizens, students, researchers, and policy makers about the intellectual and collections-based resources at VMNH. While our primary audience is the people of Henry County and surrounding areas, we serve the entire Commonwealth. My goal is to forge new relationships, and develop an increased sense of pride that the Commonwealth has a museum dedicated to interpreting and preserving its natural heritage."

Joe B. Keiper, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Virginia Museum of Natural History