Susan Sivitz has been named executive director of Kids Discovery Museum; she’ll leave her post as managing director for Bainbridge Performing Arts on June 5.

“I really love and will always love BPA and be a huge fan and supporter of this organization,” Sivitz said. “This is a treasure for this community, and that’s not changing at all.

“For me, this was an opportunity to work with a young organization. They’re in a capital phase, planning for a wonderful new space, and growing and maturing as an organization. So it was just a very appealing place to want to go.”

Sivitz, who has served as school board president and on the executive committee of Health, Housing and Human Services, joined BPA in 2006 as development director. In spring 2007, the organization restructured with a leadership “triumvirate” that included Sivitz as managing director, Steven Fogell as artistic director and Kim Failla as operations director.

Failla, who has been with BPA for more than nine years, will take on the role of interim managing director after Sivitz’s departure. BPA board president Zan Merriman said BPA will maintain and evaluate that structure for six months to a year, possibly making Failla’s role permanent if everything goes smoothly.

Both Sivitz and Merriman said the parting has been amicable.

“Susan’s been a real integral part of what’s gone on in the theater for the past several years, and I believe as a result as of what’s happened during that time, the theater has grown stronger, and has been doing better shows. We will miss her.”

Prior to Sivitz, KiDiMu had three executive directors in as many years.

“It’s been a growth process for KiDiMu, the search for the right executive director,” KiDiMu board president Andrew Hill said. “And we’ve had two wonderful people who were just not the right fit. What we’re looking for is a sort of ‘special sauce blend’ who really does know how to fund-raise effectively…and also do the exhibit management that can really keep things magical. We feel like Susan is it.”