Meet Erin Blankenship, President and CEO, Holocaust Museum & Cohen Education Center

A Message from the New President and CEO, and Recent Museum Highlights

The Holocaust Museum and Cohen Education Center is inspiring individuals to make positive changes in their communities all over Southwest Florida. Through our impactful exhibitions and innovative programming, we connect students and adults with history to teach the dangers of unchecked hate. We are excited to share news from the Museum and highlight our current offerings.

Please join me in wishing former Museum President and CEO Susan Suarez a very happy retirement! Susan led the Museum for nearly eight years. She is owed enormous thanks for her tremendous accomplishments in developing the Holocaust Museum & Janet G. and Harvey D. Cohen Education Center into the leading cultural and educational institution it is today.

I am incredibly honored to join the Museum as its new President and CEO. Most recently I served as Deputy Director of The Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg. During my tenure of more than 23 years, I grew the permanent collection of art and artifacts by more than 2000%, developed and stewarded national and international partnerships, and created innovative programming in support of Holocaust education. I am thrilled to join this community and have admired the Naples Museum from afar as it has grown over the years. The highlight of my life has been working with Holocaust Survivors, Liberators, and their families to preserve and share their stories of hope and resilience with others, and I look forward to continuing that work
here in Naples.

The Museum’s annual Triumph of Resilience benefit event honored Holocaust Survivor and Naples resident Sam Harris. Sam is the Co-Founder and President Emeritus of the Illinois Holocaust Museum. The evening’s program included a screening of the short film about Sam’s life, An Undeniable Voice, produced by actress and activist Sharon Stone, and directed by Price Arana. Sam’s granddaughter Jessica Kramer also spoke about Sam’s impact on her life. All of us at the Holocaust Museum are grateful to all our sponsors and guests, and to The Harvey D. and Janet G. Cohen Foundation and The Ray Foundation. The Foundations’ sponsorship of the event and the Triumph of Resilience Matching Challenge helped raise $300,000 in support of the Museum’s Holocaust Education programs.

Our current special exhibition is Convincing the Masses: Propaganda At Home and Abroad. It was developed in-house, using artifacts from the Museum’s own permanent collection as well as unique materials loaned by community members. The variety of Nazi and Allied propaganda materials shown were used during World War II to help to build and secure loyalty among citizens and potential allies to that side’s cause. These ranged from common household goods to special commemorative items, such as publications about the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The exhibition reminds us how important it is to “consider the source” regarding news and information. Convincing the Masses is on display through mid-August 2025 in the Estelle and Stuart Price Gallery.

The F.E. and Jack Nortman Remembrance Hall has a new display of “UpStander Profiles” panels. “UpStanders” are people who choose to take action and help those facing persecution and hatred. Our Profiles highlight international, national, and local SWFL UpStanders who truly made a difference to those in need. We invite Museum guests and visiting students to honor UpStanders they know by sharing their names on a note and posting it on a special display panel.

As this season comes to a close, I encourage you to squeeze in a visit or a Docent-led tour of the Museum. We have a variety of tours year round to help you explore the Museum. Complimentary self-guided tours via Museum tablets or downloadable apps are always available at no extra charge with general admission. We offer Docent led tours by reservation at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays – visit the calendar on our website to RSVP for the date of your choice. Private group tours are a great activity for family, friends, and organizations. These are held when the Museum is closed to the public and a variety of program options are available.

Please contact Julie@hmcec.org for more information. School field trips are also held when the Museum is closed to the public. The field trips include a tour of the Museum and age-appropriate education activities. Please contact Katie Butte at Katie@hmcec.org for more information.

I look forward to meeting you and hope to see you soon at the Museum.