Meet the ASTC Team
Christofer Nelson
President and CEO
Pronouns: he/him
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.
Frances Burg
Chief of Strategy and Chief of Staff
Pronouns: she/her
Frances serves as ASTC’s Chief of Strategy and Chief of Staff. Before joining ASTC, Frances helped launch the reimagined National Children’s Museum in Washington, DC – a hybrid science center and children’s museum. Earlier in her career, Frances served as an attorney for the U.S. Department of Transportation, spent two years in private practice at Spiegel & McDiarmid LLP, and four years at the White House Office of Records Management. Frances earned a JD from George Washington University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston University.
Meredith Hamme
Chief Operating Officer
Pronouns: she/her
Meredith serves as ASTC’s Chief Operating Officer, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the association, and leading member engagement and external affairs strategy. Most recently, Meredith comes to ASTC from National Children’s Museum in Washington, DC, where she held the role of Interim CEO and Vice President of External Affairs, leading organizational vision setting, and strategic marketing, communications, brand, and media. With more than a decade of experience at the intersection of education, nonprofit work and cultural institutions, Meredith has dedicated her career to serving young audiences through high quality learning experiences. Prior to her work at National Children’s Museum, Meredith fundraised for Teach For America and is a former elementary special education classroom teacher. She is a Washington-area native, receiving her BA from the University of Virginia and her MA in Museum Studies from The George Washington University.
Jamie Bell
Senior Advisor, Informal STEM Learning
Pronouns: he/him
Jamie Bell is Senior Advisor for Informal STEM Learning at ASTC. He served as the Project Director of the Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education from 2010 to 2023. He has held a variety of field leadership and consultation roles over 30 years, including at the Exploratorium, the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, and TERC. Jamie spent three years in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, as Center of Learning Director at Petrosains: The Discovery Center, and recently served as a Fulbright Specialist with the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, Poland.
Amanda Borth
Fellow for Public Engagement in Science Policy
Pronouns: she/her
Amanda Borth is ASTC’s Fellow for Public Engagement in Science Policy. Her work focuses on the research, design, and implementation of engagement practices to bring public perspectives into science decision-making. She specializes in topics including public, community, and stakeholder engagement; science communication; and climate governance. Amanda’s expertise is built on her prior work as an Associate Research Professional at Arizona State University’s Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes, Graduate Research Assistant at George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication, Project Coordinator at American University’s Institute for Responsible Carbon Removal, Museum Educator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, and Intern at the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, among other experiences. Amanda earned her PhD in Science Communication from George Mason University in 2023, and a BA in International Studies from American University, Washington, DC, in 2018.
Jenny Crayne
Senior Manager of Programs
Pronouns: she/her
As a member of ASTC’s Professional Learning and Impact Programs team, Jenny collaboratively manages a portfolio of projects that strengthen the work of science centers and museums. These include initiatives to support leadership and professional development, such as ASTC’s New Leaders Fellowship Program and Science Centers and Museums 101 series. She also sources and manages funding opportunities to support strategic areas of work in our field, such as STEM workforce development, community science, and play-based learning.
Theresa A. Donofrio, PhD
Seeding Action Network Facilitator
Pronouns: she/her
Theresa (Terri) Donofrio works with and alongside Seeding Action network members to create resources to support organizations’ planetary health work. She also co-leads cohort programs for science centers, museums, and public engagement organizations working toward shared planetary health goals. Terri brings her expertise in rhetoric and background in museum studies, memory studies, and critical/cultural studies to ASTC. Prior to joining the Seeding Action team, Terri was an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Coe College. She earned her PhD in Communication from the University of Maryland.
Jamie Durana
Associate Director of Storytelling
Pronouns: she/her
As Associate Director of Storytelling, Jamie manages ASTC’s newsroom, develops opportunities to share the work of ASTC’s members and programs, and serves as a managing editor of Dimensions.
Before joining ASTC, Jamie served as a writer and editor with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, where she wrote feature stories on topics like public health, climate change, clinician well-being, and human rights. Jamie earned her master’s degree from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at the University College London.
Amanda Fisher
Co-Director of Programs
Pronouns: she/her
As Co-Director of Programs, Amanda leads ASTC’s professional learning initiatives, creating programs and resources that help science center and museum professionals strengthen their practice and advance their institutions’ impact. She leads initiatives including the New Leaders Fellowship, the LEGO® Museum Network, and the IF/THEN® Gender Equity Initiative. Amanda’s love for museum work was ignited during her time at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) where she developed programs and trained scientists in effective communication. 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.
Kelly Germain
Conference and Member Engagement Manager
Pronouns: she/her
Kelly supports ASTC’s annual conference planning and member engagement activities. She has 20+ years of experience in association management, conference planning, and communications in the museum, science center, and giant screen/planetarium community. Prior to ASTC, Kelly was Director of Communications at the Giant Screen Cinema Association. She has helped plan over 75 conferences and events during her career and loves connecting with and supporting members from around the world. Kelly is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Rose Hendricks, PhD
Executive Director of Seeding Action
Pronouns: she/her
Rose Hendricks is the Executive Director of Seeding Action, an ASTC initiative to support science centers and museums to cultivate a culture of hope and action for a healthy planet. In a prior role as a Civic Science Fellow, she led the development of a network of scientific associations working 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.
Erica Kimmerling, PhD
Senior Director, ASTC’s Future of Science Strategies
As ASTC’s Senior Director for the Future of Science Strategies, Erica is working to build a more responsive, accessible, and engaged science and technology enterprise that delivers greater benefits to all people and sustains the public’s enduring trust. Her portfolio includes ASTC public perceptions and values research and advancing good faith science policy reform. Prior to this role she was the Assistant Director for Community Driven Health at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. In addition to driving action on rare diseases and environmental public health, she advised on issues related to public participation in science policy, science engagement, the societal implications of science, and building community/civic capacity in science. She received her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Tufts University.
Eve Klein
Senior Advisor for Science, Technology, and Society
Pronouns: she/her
Eve Klein is Senior Advisor for Science, Technology, and Society at ASTC. She leads ASTC’s strategy to support science centers and museums in engaging with advanced technology, with an initial focus on AI, and served as Principal Investigator on an NSF-funded project developing a national typology of science center roles in AI public engagement. Eve also co-leads ASTC’s research examining public perceptions of and values around science, science engagement, and science policy.
Melissa Kocelko
Manager of Member Communications and Operations
Pronouns: she/her
Melissa manages the Passport Program, Job Bank, membership renewals, and other member offerings. She is passionate about strengthening our member community by improving awareness and access to member benefits. If you have questions about your membership or ideas on how to enhance your experience, she’d love to hear from you. Before joining the ASTC team, she managed the membership and guest services team at Chicago Children’s, catalogued collections at Everglades National Park, and earned her Master’s degree from the University of Denver. She enjoys spending time at member museums, going to the movies, and hiking.
JJ Leissing
Senior Manager of Playful Learning
Pronouns: she/her
Kalie Sacco, MPA
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.
Shannon Sullivan
Senior Manager of Programs
Pronouns: she/her
Erin Thelen
Senior Manager of Member Engagement
Pronouns: she/her
Erin is Senior Manager of Member Engagement at ASTC, where she develops strategies and programs that build stronger member connections and create opportunities for year-round engagement. She leads ASTC’s Communities of Practice, helping members connect and learn from one another throughout the year. She also leads strategy and growth for sponsorships and the exhibit hall at ASTC’s annual conference, working across the organization to create meaningful experiences for conference participants.
Erin brings more than 20 years of experience in informal science education, with work spanning science museums, environmental education, and outdoor education.
Outside of work, Erin volunteers with the American Canoe Association, helping to run a camp, and supports efforts to promote canoeing, kayaking, and stewardship of New York City’s waterways.
Christine Trillana
Manager of Operations
Pronouns: she/her
Christine is the Manager of Operations 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 CEO and Chief of Staff to manage calendars. Her background includes working with start-up nonprofits and small businesses. “Knicks in 5!”
Naomi Wallace, PhD
Senior Manager of Programs
Pronouns: they/them
Naomi supports our museum members in building equitable partnerships with their communities and working collaboratively to address issues at the intersection of science, society, and policy. Their work includes research and writing, providing professional development training, managing grantees, and designing and analyzing surveys. Before joining the ASTC team, Naomi received their PhD in Neuroscience from Washington State University, where they focused on the impact of circadian rhythms on brain health. In their spare time, they like to play Dungeons & Dragons, bake sourdough bread, and spend time with their cat and ball python.
Gaby Wilson
Senior Manager of Association Insights
Gaby manages membership renewals, registration for the ASTC Annual Conference, the Annual Statistics Survey, and other data initiatives. Before joining the ASTC team, Gaby taught high school history, worked in visitor services, education, and evaluation at various museums throughout Washington, DC and North Carolina, and earned a Master’s degree in Museum Education from the George Washington University.
CONTACT
Click here for complete information about how to contact ASTC.
- For general inquiries: info@astc.org
- For media inquiries: communications@astc.org
- For membership inquiries: membership@astc.org
- For conference inquiries: conference@astc.org
- For exhibits and sponsorship inquiries: exhibits@astc.org