[PORTLAND, OR – August 29, 2025] – Erin Graham, President and CEO of OMSI, has been elected to a two-year term as Chair beginning September 8, 2025, on the Board of Directors for the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC).
ASTC is the nonprofit membership society representing organizations committed to public engagement with science, including a core membership of nearly 600 science and technology centers and museums and allied organizations in more than three dozen countries around the world. ASTC and its members share a vision of increased understanding of and engagement with science and technology among all people.
The ASTC Board provides overall leadership to ASTC, the world’s largest association representing science engagement organizations and their staff.
Erin will serve with other leaders from across the field elected to the Board this year as officers or directors:
Officers
- Erin Graham, MBA, JD, was elected as Chair of the ASTC Board of Directors. She is President and CEO of Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) in Portland, Oregon.
- Sam Dean, is the new Chair-Elect of the ASTC Board. He is Chief Executive Officer of Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, AR.
- Christian Greer is the new Secretary. He is President and CEO of Michigan Science Center in Detroit, Michigan.
- Adalene “Nene” Spivy, MBA, has been reelected as Treasurer. She is Executive Director of Children’s Science Center and Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation in Fairfax, Virginia.
- Tim Ritchie, MPA, JD, is now Immediate Past Chair. He is the Gwill York President of Museum of Science in Boston, Massachusetts.
Directors
- Paul Backhouse, Senior Director, Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Environmental Protection Office Clewiston, Florida (elected to a first term)
- Lori Bettison-Varga, President and Director, Natural History Musuem of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California (reelected to a second term)
- Rayanne Darensbourg, CEO, Children’s Museum Houston and Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center Houston, Texas (elected to a first term)
- Sean Decatur, President, American Museum of Natural History New York, New York
- Benjamin Dickow, President & Executive Director, Columbia Memorial Space Center Downey, California (elected to a first term)
- Matt Hayes, President & CEO, The Museum of Flight Seattle, Washington elected to a first term)
- Mikko Myllykoski, CEO, Heureka, Finnish Science Centre Vantaa, Finland (elected to a first term)
- Elizabeth Pierce, President & CEO, Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, Ohio (elected to a first term)
- Sara Schapiro, Executive Director, Alliance for Learning Innovation, Washington, D.C. (reelected to a second term)
They join other continuing members of the Board of Directors, whose names and affiliations are listed below.
“ASTC is grateful for the incredible leadership of Erin Graham,” said Christofer Nelson, ASTC’s President and CEO. “Our officers and members of the Board of Directors – each distinguished leaders – bring tremendous insight and important perspectives on our field as we work together to increase understanding of an engagement with science and technology among all people.”
OFFICERS
Erin Graham, MBA, JD, Chair
President and CEO
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
Portland, Oregon, United States
Sam Dean, MEd, Chair-Elect
President and CEO
Scott Family Amazeum
Bentonville, Arkansas, United States
Adalene “Nene” Spivy, MBA, Treasurer
Chief Executive Officer
Children’s Science Center and Northern Virginia Science Center Foundation
Fairfax, Virginia, United States
Christian Greer, EdD, Secretary
President and CEO
Michigan Science Center
Detroit, Michigan, United States
Tim Ritchie, MPA, JD, Immediate Past Chair
Gwill York President
Museum of Science
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Christofer Nelson, President and CEO
MEMBERS
Chieko Asakawa, PhD
Chief Executive Director
Miraikan, The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation
Tokyo, Japan
Paul Backhouse, PhD
Senior Director
Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Environmental Protection Office
Clewiston, Florida, United States
Lori Bettison-Varga, PhD
President and Director
Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County
Los Angeles, California, United States
Michele Crowl, PhD
Executive Director
Discovery Space of Central Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania, United States
Jason Cryan, PhD
The Sarah B. George Director
Natural History Museum of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Rayanne Darensbourg
CEO
Children’s Museum Houston
Fort Bend Children’s Discovery Center
Houston, Texas, United States
Sean Decatur
President
American Museum of Natural History
New York, New York, United States
Benjamin Dickow
President & Executive Director
Columbia Memorial Space Center
Downey, California, United States
Robin Gose, EdD
President and CEO
MOXI, The World Museum of Exploration + Innovation
Santa Barbara, California, United States
Matt Hayes
President & CEO
The Museum of Flight
Seattle, Washington, United States
Ashley Larose, MSc
Chief Executive Officer
Science North
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Tara MacDougall
President and CEO
Discovery Center of Murfree Spring
Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States
Mikko Myllykoski
CEO
Heureka, Finnish Science Centre
Vantaa, Finland
Elizabeth Pierce
President & CEO
Cincinnati Museum Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Andrés Roldán
Executive Director
Parque Explora
Medellín, Colombia
María Emilia Beyer Ruiz
Director
Universum, Museo de las Ciencias de la UNAM
Mexico City, Mexico
Sara Schapiro, MPP
Executive Director
Alliance for Learning Innovation (ALI)
Washington, D.C., United States
About OMSI
Founded in 1944, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is one of the nation’s leading science museums and a trusted educational resource for communities throughout Oregon and the region. Through museum exhibitions, public programs, outdoor programs, traveling exhibitions, digital learning, and learning research and design, OMSI nourishes a lifelong love of science, curiosity and learning among its diverse audiences. The upcoming OMSI District – a collaboration of local, Tribal and regional government entities, nonprofits and businesses – will be a one-of-a-kind neighborhood with innovation, culture and science learning at its heart. OMSI is located at 1945 S.E. Water Avenue, Portland, OR, 97214. For general information, call 503.797.4000 or visit omsi.edu. Connect with the museum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About ASTC
Founded in 1973, ASTC is a network of around 600 science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging more than 110 million people annually across North America and in more than 40 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