ASTC welcomes new board members from U.S., Canada, and Colombia

The Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) has welcomed six new members to its Board of Directors, which provides leadership for the nonprofit organization representing science and technology centers and museums across North America and around the world.

New to the board are the following science center leaders:

In addition, Robert Firmhofer, CEO of Copernicus Science Center in Warsaw, Poland, was reelected to a second 3-year term on the ASTC Board of Directors. Earlier this year, the Board of Directors voted to have Catherine Horne and JoAnn Newman serve for a one-year term as members-at-large on the Executive Committee.

“We are delighted to have these leaders from science centers around the world working together with our team to advance our vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people,” said Christofer Nelson, ASTC’s president and CEO. “These individuals have already distinguished themselves through service to the science center field in areas including diversity and inclusion, advocacy, and professional development. We are excited for the expertise the new board members bring to our association and the impact they will have on our entire membership.”

These new board members were recruited by ASTC’s Nominating Committee, chaired by Immediate Past Chair Guy Labine, CEO of Science North in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, and were open to a vote of all 500 of ASTC’s science center and museum members worldwide.

They join continuing members, including officers and members of the Executive Committee:

• Chair: Larry Dubinksi, President and CEO, The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
• Chair-elect: William Harris, President and CEO, Space Center Houston, Texas, USA
• Treasurer: Tim Ritchie, President, Museum of Science, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
• Secretary: Kirsten Ellenbogen, President and CEO, Great Lakes Science Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
• Immediate Past Chair: Guy Labine, Chief Executive Officer/Directeur general, Science North, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
• Member-at-Large of Executive Committee: Catherine Horne, President and CEO, Discovery Place, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
• Member-at-Large of Executive Committee: JoAnn Newman, President and CEO, Orlando Science Center, Orlando, Florida, USA
• Director: Frederic Bertley, President and CEO, Center of Science and Industry (COSI), Columbus, Ohio, USA
• Director: Rena Dorph, Director, Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley, California, USA
• Director: Jeffrey Rudolph, President and CEO, California Science Center, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Director: Curt Simmons, President and CEO, Science Center of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa, USA
• Director: Rosalia Vargas, President, Ciência Viva, Lisbon, Portugal

ASTC extends its thanks and appreciation to Margaret Honey, CEO, New York Hall of Science, Corona, New York, USA, who concluded her service on the ASTC Board of Directors and as Member-at-Large on the Executive Committee.

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About ASTC

Founded in 1973, ASTC is a network of nearly 700 science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging more than 110 million people annually across North America and in almost 50 countries. With its members and partners, ASTC works towards a vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people. www.astc.org

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