National WWI Museum and Memorial CEO to Resign in 2027

Posted March 24, 2026

The National WWI Museum and Memorial announced that President and CEO Matthew Naylor will conclude his tenure in 2027.

After 14 years of leadership, Naylor will step down from his role to relocate to his native Australia to be closer to family, according to a Monday release. He will remain with the museum through June 2027 to support the transition.

The Museum’s Board of Trustees has begun a search for a new leader and will fill the role by early 2027. The board expects to retain an executive search firm by spring 2026.

“Few people have the privilege of helping shape an institution that means so much to a community and a nation,” Naylor said in the release. “Kansas City welcomed my family and me with extraordinary generosity, and I will always be proud of what we built together, from new galleries and programs to a deeper connection between this historic site and the public it serves.”

During Naylor’s tenure, the museum completed a renovation of the Main Gallery, opened the Wylie Gallery, developed the new Lower Level and Bergman Family Open Storage Center, and established new administrative office spaces. Naylor also helped the museum complete two capital campaigns totaling over $100 million in philanthropic support. Naylor led the organization without any staff layoffs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“His [Naylor’s] vision, his leadership and his deep commitment to this place have transformed what the National WWI Museum and Memorial is and what it can become,” Board Chair, Tom Whittaker, said in the release. “While we will deeply miss his presence, we are grateful for the thoughtful and generous way he is approaching this transition, and we are confident that the Museum and Memorial is poised for an equally remarkable next chapter.”