MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Historical Society is pleased to welcome Leo Landis to the position of director of public history. Landis previously served as curator at the State Historical Society of Iowa since 2013. He began his new role with the Wisconsin Historical Society on February 24, 2025.
Landis brings a wealth of experience in the field of public history to his role at the Society and previously held positions with a variety of cultural history organizations throughout the Midwest including Salisbury House & Gardens, Living History Farms, the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village and Conner Prairie. He was presented with the Outstanding Alumnus award from Iowa State University’s Department of History in 2014 and has also published several notable articles and books including “Building Better Roads: The Iowa Contribution to Highway Engineering,” a nominee for the Benjamin Shambaugh Award for the Best Book in Iowa History. A frequent contributor to the Des Moines Register and a skilled presenter, Landis also brings extensive experience developing award-winning exhibitions including three that won the American Association for State and Local History’s prestigious Award of Merit.
“We are thrilled to welcome Leo to the team at this critical point in the Society’s journey to deliver a premier history destination to the people of Wisconsin when the future Wisconsin History Center opens its doors in 2027,” said Jill Sterrett, director of collections and collections administrator for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “He has consistently positioned himself at the intersection of programs and outreach, curatorial work and education. Leo’s broad expertise spanning civics education, material culture, agricultural history and more will position him for lasting success in his new role.”
Landis holds a Bachelor of Science in History from Iowa State University and a Master of Arts in History from Eastern Illinois University.
In his new role, Landis will focus on bolstering the importance of a public history approach in making the Society’s sites and attractions across Wisconsin destinations of inspiration and exploration for local, regional, and national visitors of all ages and backgrounds. Landis is particularly excited about the opportunity to connect people to the past through community engagement, historically accurate storytelling and sharing historically significant collections.
About the Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit wisconsinhistory.org.
