Mary Roth Named MSCR Executive Director

MMSD is pleased to announce Mary Roth has been named the Executive Director of Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR), effective December 11, 2023. She succeeds Janet Dyer, who is retiring from the district in late December after 38 years of service. 

Ms. Roth will oversee planning, organization, promotion, and delivery of year-round, high-quality recreation and enrichment programs and services that enhance the quality of life for individuals in the Madison Metropolitan School District and the community. 

“We will miss Janet’s unwavering commitment to the importance of recreation and instruction, and wish her the absolute best in retirement,” said MMSD Interim Superintendent Lisa Kvistad. “As MSCR begins to prepare for its 100th anniversary in 2026, Mary Roth was the perfect choice to lead us into this new era. She is someone who leads with a clear passion for creating the best environments and experiences for staff and participants.”

For the last 15 years, Ms. Roth has worked at MSCR in various roles, spending the past four years as operations manager. In that role, she led the team delivering agency-wide auxiliary services, including outreach, marketing, human resources, volunteer management, and software systems. She also led communications and hiring strategy, and represents MSCR on numerous district, city, and community committees.

“It has been an honor serving MSCR over the last 15 years and I'm excited to continue working alongside the team to lead MSCR into our next century of service,” Ms. Roth said. “MSCR plays a vital role in the school district and the community and I look forward to building on the strong foundation already in place to advance our mission of providing accessible recreation and enrichment opportunities to people of all ages.”

She played an integral role in MSCR's response to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure continuity of programming for the community. This included the shift to virtual programming for the community, such as leading staffing for MSCR's in-person childcare and virtual learning support programs at 15 locations.

Prior to her time at MSCR, Ms. Roth interned at the Musee du Vieux-Chateau in Laval France and was an English Language teaching assistant in Metz, France. She obtained her bachelor’s degree (cum laude) from Connecticut College, New London, CT. She earned her master’s degree from UW-Madison in French Studies with a concentration in media, art, and cultural production.

Ms. Roth is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional from the National Recreation and Park Association.