Robbie Lauf Named Interim CEO of Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
News related to:Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation · 2 min read
Medora, N.D., Sept. 24, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation has appointed Robbie Lauf as its Interim Chief Executive Officer, effective September 19. Lauf, who has served as the Library's Executive Director since 2024 and has been involved with the Foundation since 2018, succeeds Edward F. O'Keefe, who concluded his service as Chief Executive Officer on September 18 and has joined the Foundation's Board of Trustees.
Under O'Keefe's leadership, the Foundation secured the support necessary to build the presidential library in Medora, North Dakota. The ambitious project opened on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of American independence, and has since welcomed more than 138,000 visitors. "Ed took a bold idea and made it real," said Hilary Hamm, Chair of the Board of Trustees.
Lauf, who has been part of the Library's development from its earliest strategic decisions through opening and operations, brings both continuity and a deep understanding of the institution.
The Library, located on a 93-acre butte above Medora, North Dakota, at the edge of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, opened on schedule on July 4, 2026. Designed by Snøhetta with North Dakota's JLG Architects, the 96,000-square-foot building rises from the butte beneath a walkable green roof planted with native species. The Library is pursuing Living Building Challenge full certification, LEED Platinum, and SITES Platinum. More than 40,000 square feet of exhibits explore TR's life and legacy through three pillars: Leadership, Citizenship, and Conservation.
Lauf, a North Dakota native, joined the Foundation's Board of Trustees in 2018, moved to the staff in 2022, and became Executive Director in 2024. Before joining the Foundation full time, Lauf worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and served as a senior adviser to North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, leading the governor's policy team and overseeing development of the administration's biennial budget. He also worked in the office of Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell.
The Library is operated by the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and is not part of the National Archives presidential library system.