ASTC - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Executive Director / Children 's Science Center
Job Titles:
- Director of External Affairs
Adam serves as Director of External Affairs where he leads efforts to champion and make the case for the work of science centers and museums, including through communications, advocacy, partnerships, and collaborations. He previously also led the membership and conference teams. Throughout his career, Adam has worked at the intersection of science, policy, and society throughout his career, including roles in policy, communications, education and training, public affairs, and member engagement at several scientific societies. He earned a BA in biology and mathematics at Swarthmore College and an AM in molecular and cellular biology and PhD in molecular biology and education from Harvard University. Adam enjoys visiting science centers, photography, fresh bread, and keeping up with his twin sons.
Alyssa Johnson is an Education Program Coordinator at the Sciencenter where she uses community science and outreach to bring science off the shelf and into the community. Her goal is to inspire curiosity and confidence around STEM through accessible youth and family programming.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Programs
- Co - Principal Investigator ), Associate Director of Programs
As the Associate Director of Programs at ASTC, Amanda spearheads various initiatives aimed at promoting best practices in informal STEM education, fostering equity, and enhancing access across networks. She contributes to prominent projects including the IF/THEN® Gender Equity Initiative, the Informal STEM Learning Professional Competency Framework, and the Community Science Initiative. Amanda's love for working in museums was ignited during her time at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) where she developed programs and trained scientists in effective communication. Amanda has served as Co-PI for NSF-funded public engagement projects and as a board member for the Space Science Institute. In her free time, she enjoys converting her van into a camper, orchestrates an annual craft exchange, and collects science museum magnets from around the globe.
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Program Director for Biology and Design at the Tech Interactive
Anja is the Program Director for Biology and Design at The Tech Interactive where she leads a team that develops new experiences to empower anyone to explore biology as a creative, problem-solving medium.
Job Titles:
- Public Programs Specialist at the California Academy of Sciences
Aya Yamamoto is a Public Programs Specialist at the California Academy of Sciences and an active member of the Academy's Indigenous Solidarity subcommittee.
Previously, Aya served as a main organizer for the Two Row Wampum Renewal Campaign and has worked to build community and schoolyard gardens in New York and California.
Job Titles:
- Member of COMMITTEE
- Punt Consulting Group, Redondo Beach, California, United States
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Michigan Science Center
Job Titles:
- Coordinator of Operations and Special Projects
Christine is the Coordinator of Operations and Special Projects for ASTC. A part of the Finance and Administration Team, Christine is dedicated to improving on internal systems that help her colleagues work seamlessly in ASTC's hybrid work environment. She also works closely with the President and CEO and Chief of Staff to manage external meetings. Her background includes working with start-up nonprofits and small businesses. Outside of work, Christine likes to go visit the thrift-stores in DC and tend to her virtual farm on Stardew Valley.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Christofer has served as President and CEO of ASTC since 2020, where he was previously Chief Operating Officer. Earlier in his career, Christofer served as the Assistant Director for Open Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and prior to that, Christofer implemented the Obama Administration's Presidential Appointee Leadership Program. Christofer previously served as Program Director and as a member of the research faculty in Georgetown University's Program on Science in the Public Interest. Christofer has consulted with multiple philanthropic, government, and private-sector organizations to design and deploy open and community-driven programs that increase public engagement in solving pressing national and global challenges.
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Strategic Content at Great Lakes Science Center
Claire Dorsett is the Associate Director of Strategic Content at Great Lakes Science Center. She has drawn upon narrative storytelling techniques to develop three 7,000-square-foot original special exhibitions on topics ranging from adhesives to automobiles.
Job Titles:
- Director of Education at the International Museum of Art & Science
Claudia Martinez Gray is the Director of Education at the International Museum of Art & Science, where she began as a volunteer gallery guide back in 2017. She is a Certified Interpretive Guide and also serves on the Board of the Informal Science Education Association of Texas.
Job Titles:
- San Francisco Bay Area Artist
Corinne Okada Takara is San Francisco Bay Area artist/STEAM educator who works with museums, libraries, and afterschool programs to create art/technology workshops that center community voices in conversations about civic spaces, identity, and the future of technology.
She was formerly on the Board of Xinampa, a nonprofit organization that promotes technological literacy to empower diverse individuals to use biotechnology to innovate for the public interest.
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Science Center of Iowa
Job Titles:
- Coordinator of Community and Conference
Daniel's passion for museum-based learning led to a diverse career at the Cosmosphere and subsequent executive roles at the Great Lakes Science and Education Center and the Kansas Aviation Museum. From 2017-23, at Exploration Place, he directed educational initiatives, leading teams in innovative live science shows and programs. As the Coordinator of Community and Conference for ASTC, Daniel loves to foster connections among museum professionals globally. He also volunteers on boards in Wichita, Kansas.
Job Titles:
- Engineering Education and Principal Investigator of the Inclusive Community - Based Learning Lab, Ohio State University
Job Titles:
- Co - Principal Investigator ), Researcher
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Director / Florida Museum of Natural History
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor for Science Engagement Policy and Partnerships ( Currently on Assignment )
Erica is Senior Advisor for Science Engagement and Partnerships.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager of Member Engagement
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor for Public Engagement With Science
Eve supports a portfolio of projects that advance the study and practice of public engagement with science, including the Leaders in Science and Technology Engagement Networks (LISTEN) Network, which brings together leaders from across science engagement to connect, act, and learn together. Prior to her work with ASTC, Eve led the national Portal to the Public Network. Eve is a graduate of Columbia University and holds a Master's Degree in science education from the University of New York at Buffalo.
Frances has served as Chief of Staff of ASTC since 2021. Before joining ASTC, she helped launch the reimagined National Children's Museum in Washington, D.C.-a hybrid science center and children's museum, and an ASTC member organization-first as Operations Manager and later as Associate Director of Administration and Counsel. She previously served as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Transportation and spent two years in private practice at Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP. Growing up with a family of engineers, Frances is a natural tinkerer and a longtime advocate for informal science education.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Center of Science and Industry
Job Titles:
- Manager of Member and Conference Analytics
Gaby is Manager of Member and Conference Analytics.
Job Titles:
- Immediate past Chair
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Join Professional Networks
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Senior Advisor With
James Bell, EdM, is a Senior Advisor with ASTC and was the Project Director and Principal Investigator of the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) from 2010 to 2023. Prior to that Jamie served in a variety of leadership roles in the informal STEM education field, including in youth programs and museum exhibit development at the Exploratorium, teacher professional development at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics and as a science center exhibit consultant at TERC. Mr. Bell also spent 3 years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia developing a Center of Learning department for Petrosains: The Discovery Center. He holds degrees from Carnegie Mellon and Harvard Universities and is a 2021 Fellow in education at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a 2022 ASTC Fellow, and a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication. Jamie's specialties are program development, applications of learning theory, and exhibit facilitation. In his leisure time, Jamie swims, reads, and plays 7-string guitar in Brazilian music gatherings.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and CEO / California Science Center
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Orlando Science Center
Job Titles:
- Senior Director of Research ( Mentor to Hayde )
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration
Julian brings over 10 years of finance and accounting management experience with non-profit organizations to the role. Julian is experienced in virtually all aspects of finance and accounting management, including financial reporting, budgeting, financial modeling and analysis, business planning, and process improvement. Julian received his BA, Business Administration and Accounting, from Drexel University in Philadelphia in 2012. In his spare time, Julian enjoys travel, sampling new foods, and spending time with his wife and four-year-old son.
Job Titles:
- Director of the Shapiro Design Lab
Justin Schell is the Director of the Shapiro Design Lab, an engaged learning community in the University of Michigan Library.
Job Titles:
- Director of Member Strategy
Kalie plays a pivotal role in advancing ASTC's strategic framework through programs, events, and resources that engage and serve ASTC's members. Previously, she was Associate Director at the Lawrence Hall of Science (UC Berkeley's public science center). She has also held roles in professional organizations that support the informal STEM learning community including as Program & Community Manager for the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE) and the Coalition for Science After School. She is an active leader within the museum community, with professional service roles at the California Association of Museums, the Alameda Museum, and the American Alliance of Museums' Museum Assessment Program. Kalie holds an MPA from UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy and a BA in Anthropology and Classics from UC Berkeley.
Job Titles:
- Associate Vice President of Conservation Learning, New England Aquarium
Job Titles:
- Manager of Communications
Kelly C. Tang is the Manager of Communications. Kelly is an art historian and visual artist based in Southern California and North Carolina. Kelly received her PhD in art history from Duke University. She earned a BA in art history from UCLA and an MPhil in Modern Chinese Studies from the University of Oxford. Outside of work, Kelly likes to play board games, treasure-hunt at thrift stores, and dream up her next creative project.
Job Titles:
- Co - Principal Investigator ), Senior Researcher and Program Lead in Informal, K - 12 and Connected Learning
Job Titles:
- Project Advisor
- National Emerging Museum Professionals Network
Job Titles:
- Associate Director of Conference
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Great Lakes Science Center
Job Titles:
- Consultant ( Mentor to Ballard and Fisher )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / the Franklin Institute
Job Titles:
- Manager of Community Science and Special Projects
Laura is an experienced facilitator, science communicator, and social scientist. In her role as the Manager of Community Science and Special Projects, she helps ASTC members build tools for doing community-centered science in their hometowns. Before joining ASTC, Laura managed collaborative multi-party processes, providing strategic guidance for groups working to understand complex science and address environmental challenges. Her past projects have focused on exploring best practices for deep seabed mining and implementing collaborative adaptive management on the Missouri River. Laura holds a BS in Environmental Science and a BA in Media & Communication Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, as well as a master's degree in Environmental Communication and Participatory Processes from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. When not at work, Laura enjoys playing board games, tending houseplants, and foraging for wild edibles (especially mushrooms).
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair
- Member of COMMITTEE
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Director of Evaluation and Research in Learning, Science Museum of Minnesota
Job Titles:
- Director of Education, Pittsburgh Botanic Garden and Study Leader, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Carnegie Mellon University
Job Titles:
- Director ( Mentor to Riedinger )
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Director of Programs
- Principal Investigator ), Director of Programs
Melissa leads ASTC's Impact and Inclusion team, which is focused on supporting science centers and museums in advancing equitable engagement in science and technology. She has held a variety of roles in research, advocacy, communications, and partnership-building for informal STEM learning. She has also worked in education and outreach at a children's science center. Melissa holds undergraduate degrees in Industrial & Operations Engineering and liberal studies from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Job Titles:
- Manager of Member Communications and Operations
Melissa Mullins is an aquatic scientist and environmental educator. She coordinates water education and outreach at Baylor University's Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research Center, an aquatic resources research and education partnership between Baylor University and the City of Waco.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Executive Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Manager of Impact Initiatives
In their role as Manager of Impact Initiatives, Naomi manages and supports programs focused on providing ASTC members with resources, trainings, and funding to form equitable community partnerships and respond to trends at the intersection of science and society. Before joining ASTC, Naomi completed their PhD in Neuroscience at Washington State University, where they studied the health impacts of circadian rhythm disruption. Naomi lives in Colorado with their cat and ball python, and spend their spare time baking bread and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
Job Titles:
- the Public Programs Coordinator
Rachel Quimby is the Public Programs Coordinator and a Museum Educator at EcoTarium.
She has a background in education, teaching zoology, French, museum studies, and more. Quimby holds a BA in Psychology from Columbia University and earned her MA in Teaching from the George Washington University's Museum Education Program.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Chief Executive Officer / Copernicus Science Center / Warsaw, Poland
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Seeding Action Research Director
Rose is the Seeding Action Research Director. In this role, she leads the design and implementation of Seeding Action, an initiative led by ASTC to support science centers and museums in their planetary health public engagement work. Prior to this role, she led the development of the Science Society Engagement Network, which connects scientific associations in their efforts to equip scientists to communicate with policymakers and public audiences. She has also conducted research with the FrameWorks Institute, studying approaches for communicating about social and scientific issues. Rose earned a PhD in Cognitive Science from UC San Diego.
Sam Dean - CEO, President
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Senior Fellow and Director, Social Innovation / Federation of American Scientists / Washington, D.C., United States
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair
- Member of COMMITTEE
Job Titles:
- Senior Manager of Programs
Shannon has been involved in informal STEM learning since long before she knew what that meant. She managed cultural and natural history collections at a museum in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, before joining the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street (MoMS) initiative to engage communities, rural organizations, and youth through digital storytelling. She also helped develop an exhibition which explored the intersection of science history and art at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in 2020. She worked for two NSF resource centers, CADRE and CAISE, before joining the Impact & Inclusion team at ASTC.
Job Titles:
- Formerly the Conservation Planner
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Discovery Center at Murfree Spring
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Treasurer of the Executive Committee
- President / Museum of Science
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- President and Chief Executive Officer / Space Center Houston
- Task Force Chair, Space Center Houston