Staff Members

Janice Luth, President
Janice “Jan” Luth has more than 30 years of experience in the museum field. She spent the past 16 years in the Tampa Bay-St. Petersburg, Fla., area and most recently established a consulting firm in 2008. Her work included serving as project manager for the Great Explorations Children's Museum in St. Petersburg, and coordinated grant management for other clients. In addition, with her husband, she co-launched Tools from the Earth, LLC., an artifact re-creation business.

Before her work as a consultant, Luth served as director of the Heritage Village in Largo, Fla., for six years. Before that she was vice president of programs for six years and director of education for one year at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in Tampa, Fla., the largest museum in the Southeast. Prior to MOSI, she worked in history museums, including assistant director for Cape Fear Museum in Wilmington, N.C., and in West Virginia, Indiana and Illinois. She has also worked in art, natural history and science museums for adults and children.

Luth earned a master’s degree in historical administration from Eastern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin. She also served as an adjunct professor at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg.

Dion Brown, Chief Operations Officer

Dion is responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of Exploration Place. Dion earned a bachelor’s of science degree, graduating magna cum laude in Human Resource Development from Southwestern College. In addition, Dion retired from the United States Air Force after 21 years of service.

Kent Shank, Chief Financial Officer

Kent has worked in the museum industry for 18 years. He is responsible for all financial functions of Exploration Place. Kent spent 16 years at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center (KCSC) as Vice President of Finance and Human Resources. He was responsible for all finance and human resource functions as well many operations functions throughout his career there. Kent helped navigate the KCSC through a $14 million fundraising campaign and its largest period of growth where its annual budget increased from approximately $1.5 million to $4 million. Before EP, he worked for Via Christi Senior Services, Inc. as Regional Director of Finance. Kent received a Bachelor of Science, Accounting Degree from Kansas State University.

Sharon G. Miles, CFRE
Director of Development
Sharon joined Exploration Place in July 2010 and will oversee all aspects of fundraising, as well as Exploration Place’s Membership and Volunteer programs. She has more than 12 years of experience in the fundraising field, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE). Sharon most recently served as Wichita State University’s senior director of development, and was responsible for the philanthropic efforts of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Active in the community, Sharon is immediate past president of the Greater Wichita Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. In addition, she has volunteered at the Sedgwick County Zoo for 20 years; serves on the board of Wichita State, Women and the World; and has served on the board of Episcopal Social Services at Venture House for eight years. Sharon earned a degree in finance and economics from Wichita State University.

Lynn Corona, Director of Education and Exhibits
Lynn oversees the planning, development, production, implementation and maintenance of EP’s permanent exhibitions, as well as administers traveling exhibit contracts, negotiations and scheduling. She has more than 26 years of experience with developing both permanent and traveling exhibitions for museums, in addition to an extensive background in general graphic design. She was most recently at the Science Museum of Virginia as exhibit director, and before that was an exhibit designer at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. Lynn earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from the University of Illinois, Urbana - Champaign. Her other talents include painting media using oils and acrylics, drawing media using pencil, charcoal, pastels, markers, inks, water colors and air brush.

Christina Bluml,
Director of Marketing and Information Technology

Christina has more than 16 years of experience in the marketing field, and has been with Exploration Place since 2001. She oversees the museum’s print, radio and TV advertising, public relations, and writing/editing for all marketing publications, signage and the Web site. Before joining EP, Christina served as marketing specialist for seven years at Commerce Bank, Wichita. Christina earned a bachelor of arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Kansas State University.