The Museum of the Peace Corps Experience (MPCE) is pleased to announce the appointment of Karis Erwin to its Board of Directors.
Karis Erwin is an experienced museum executive, marketing strategist, and Returned Peace Corps Volunteer whose career reflects a deep commitment to storytelling, public engagement, and mission-driven leadership. She served as a Community Development Volunteer in Ukraine from 2012 to 2013, working in the Vinnytsia region to support community-based business development and strategic planning initiatives—an experience she describes as the most impactful of her life.
Karis currently serves as Vice President of Marketing and Guest Services at the National WWI Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, the congressionally designated institution dedicated to interpreting the Great War and its enduring global impact. In this role, she oversees the Museum’s marketing and communications efforts, including advertising, social media, and media relations, as well as all revenue-generating initiatives led by Guest Services and front-of-house teams. She also leads Special Events and Group Sales, managing private event rentals and group visits that support both earned revenue and public engagement.
Karis’s career spans museums, destination marketing, social services, and international development. She began her professional journey at Exploration Place, a science center and museum in Wichita, Kansas, where she developed her passion for cultural institutions and visitor experience. She later worked in travel and tourism advertising focused on the National Parks before transitioning into fundraising and marketing for an organization serving unhoused populations. Following her Peace Corps service, Karis returned to social services and later joined the Newseum in Washington, D.C., where she brought her global perspective to a world-class institution dedicated to First Amendment freedoms.
This varied professional path has given Karis a unique lens on storytelling, community engagement, and the role of museums as trusted civic spaces. A passionate supervisor and mentor, she is committed to fostering positive work cultures and supporting individual growth within her teams. Karis shared, “I have a passion for reaching people through dynamic stories they can connect to, and the mission of the Peace Corps deserves attention. The Museum provides a powerful platform to share the experiences of Volunteers—and those they served alongside—who dedicated themselves to service and cross-cultural understanding. I’m honored to help amplify these important voices.”
Karis holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Pittsburg State University and a Master of Public Administration in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. Outside of her professional work and Board service, she is an avid baker and DIY enthusiast—often found covered in flour or sawdust, though never at the same time.
Reflecting on Karis’s appointment, Zack Klim, Ph.D., Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience, shared:
“We are thrilled to welcome Karis to the Museum’s Board of Directors. Her experience at the National WWI Museum and Memorial and the Newseum will be an invaluable asset as the Museum continues to grow and professionalize across many areas. Karis brings a rare combination of strategic marketing expertise, museum operations experience, and a deep understanding of the power of storytelling—exactly the perspective we need at this moment in our development.”
