Staff
The Museum of Discovery has a full-time staff who manage all aspects of our operations. Below are the members of the museum team.

Michael Nauman
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Michael Nauman
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Fun Facts:
Go-to karaoke song?
“New York, New York”
What is your secret talent?
I fly helicopters.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up?
Orthodontist
Admissions/Explore Store


Jackie Reese
Admissions and Explore Store Assistant Manager
Jackie Reese
Admissions and Explore Store Assistant Manager
Fun Facts:
Weirdest thing in home: “Probably me.”
Superhero power would be: Flight
If Jackie could only watch one show for the rest of her life, she would choose “Columbo.” “Does that tell my age?”
Believes pineapple does belong on pizza
DIY Question: “Who is your favorite co-worker? Of course, I am everyone’s favorite!”


Kirsten Rasmussen
Admissions Coordinator
Kirsten Rasmussen
Admissions Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: Opening a toilet seat to find a snake
Go-to karaoke song: “Teenage Dirtbag” by Wheatus
Dog breed most like: “Husky. I’ve got a lot of hair and I start hollering for no apparent reason.”
Most ridiculous fact Kirsten knows: “The Grecian Philosopher Plato was actually very muscular. ‘Plato’ as a name itself means ‘broad-shouldered’ and in a majority of debates Plato would be flexing his muscles to either intimidate his opponent or to just show off.
Development


Melissa Stiles
Chief Development Officer
Melissa Stiles
Chief Development Officer
Fun Facts:
If Melissa were a nail polish, she’d be named Wild West Red
Song to describe personality: “Melissa” by the Allman Brothers
If she could only watch one show for the rest of her life, she’d watch “Ted Lasso”
Least favorite sports team: Pittsburgh Steelers
Believes that pineapple does not belong on pizza


Brooks Toney
Community Engagement Coordinator
Brooks Toney
Community Engagement Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Celebrity Doppelganger: Bernie Sanders
Irrational Fear: White food
Go-To Karaoke Song: “Man in the Mirror”
Owns four pairs of shoes


Margaret Lake
Development and Membership Coordinator
Margaret Lake
Development and Membership Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Sews own clothes
Superhero power of choice: “Teleportation! Breakfast in London, lunch in Tokyo, dinner in Italy– yes, please!”
Song that best describes personality: “Dreams” by The Cranberries
If Margaret were a nail polish, she’d be named Moody Opal
Education


Thomas Lipham
Director of Programs
Thomas Lipham
Director of Programs
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: An inaccurate and unorganized spreadsheet
Secret talent: Accurately predicting Tupperware sizes for leftover food
Wanted to grow up and become financially sustainable
Wrong answers only. Finish the sentence: Life is like “a simple thing to understand.”
Skills that would lead to his survival on a deserted island: Logic and pragmatism


Carly Cate
Guest Experience Manager
Carly Cate
Guest Experience Manager
Fun Facts:
Least favorite food: Green beans
Weirdest thing in home: A Spine-o-later from the 1960’s
How long would Carly survive in a zombie apocalypse: “I developed a literary course on Zombies, I better make it to the end.”
Least favorite sports team: Yankees


Beth Nelsen
Program Coordinator
Beth Nelsen
Program Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Voted most likely to be on time or answer the phone
Least favorite food: Spinach
Used to LOVE car racing
Would survive the zombie apocalypse by “finding a way to make it work for me.”
Three fictional characters that describe Beth: Wonder Woman, Mary Tyler Moore and Fairy Godmother


Nichole Ashley
Animal Care Manager
Nichole Ashley
Animal Care Manager
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: Claymation movies
Wanted to grow up and become a dragon
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Piglet the Toad! Loves food, sleeping and Halloween decorations.”
Favorite weird food combo: Gummy peach rings and Chamoy


Steven Lemp
Educator
Steven Lemp
Educator
Fun Facts:
Celebrity doppelganger: Ed Helms, a.k.a. “Nard Dog”
Funniest thing heard at the museum: “‘I KNEW IT! I TOLD YOU WE COULDN’T TRUST HIM,’ yelled by a camper after another camper freaked out while holding a cool bug.”
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Tortuga. I love attention, I love to swim, and my skin is way too pale.”
Mascot Steven would hang with for a day: “The Apple Jacks cinnamon stick. He’s chill.”


Maddie Hibbs
Educator
Maddie Hibbs
Educator
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: “Velvet. If it touches my skin, I will cry.”
Funniest thing heard at the museum: “Is there science involved here or is he just getting the kids to play fetch?”
Dog breed most like: “A dachshund. Low to the ground, but way too confident.”
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Eli. I also get obnoxiously loud when I don’t get the attention I think I deserve.”
Hypothetical Band Name: Home by 9


Jenny Tackett
Educator
Jenny Tackett
Educator
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: Examples: “Microfiber touching me at any point in time or only having big spoons left in the silverware drawer.”
Owns 20 pairs of shoes, seven of which are Crocs
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Marty the Bearded Dragon. Bombastic side eye, get all food delivered to me but I refuse to eat any of it, and it’s always a surprise when I move with any quickness.”
Band name would be Yeeting Beetles
Weirdest thing in Jenny’s home: “Other than my jar full of snake sheds, I have a petrified lemon that has been passed down in my family on our 21st birthdays.”


Rachel Stuckey
STEAM Studio Coordinator
Rachel Stuckey
STEAM Studio Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Funniest thing heard at the museum: “‘I loved that but don’t ever do it again,’ said to me by a guest after I ignited a hydrogen balloon.”
Childhood stuffed animal: Frog named Turtle.
Weirdest thing in home: A collection of teeth
Tell me you work at the Museum of Discovery, without telling me you work at the Museum of Discovery: “Snakes are cuddly friends to me … now.”


Thomas "TJ" Jackson
Educator
Thomas "TJ" Jackson
Educator
Fun Facts:
Irrational fear: Zombie Apocalypse
How long would TJ survive in a zombie apocalypse: “I wanna say forever, but I don’t run fast…”
Funniest thing heard working at the museum: “I’m giving the Tornado Alley Theater a one-star because it’s scary.
Can bend his thumb behind his knuckle
Skill that would lead to his survival on a deserted island: “I keep coming back to the bendable thumb thing… There is something there.”


Seth Cheshier
Educator
Seth Cheshier
Educator
Fun Facts:
Wanted to grow up and become a comedian
Childhood stuffed animal: “Who told you I slept with a stuffed animal?! (It was a bunny named Bunny that my Nana made.)”
Superhero power of choice: Invincibility
Favorite weird food combo: Peanut butter and jalapenos
Tell me you work at the Museum of Discovery, without telling me you work at the Museum of Discovery: “I carried around a snake and lit my hand on fire at work today … on purpose (but not at the same time.)”


Sam Currier
Educator
Sam Currier
Educator
Fun Facts:
Celebrity doppelganger: “Someone once told me Natalie Portman, and even if that isn’t totally accurate, I will accept no other answers.”
Go-to karaoke song: “I Love Rock n Roll” by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Voted most likely to rule the universe. “I feel as if I would make a fair and diplomatic overlord.”
Favorite color and favorite shade/hue of that color: Green/pine trees


Becca Burks
Girls in STEM Coordinator
Becca Burks
Girls in STEM Coordinator
Fun Facts:
Life is like a: gel glitter pen. Really pretty and shiny, but when it breaks it gets everywhere and 90’s music starts playing.
Wanted to grow up and become a doctor who is also a welder who is also a national geographic photographer.
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: Pete the Amphiuma, he runs into things a lot and eats very fast. He doesn’t tell many people but we’re actually best friends.
Facilities/Exhibits


Josh Annett
Facilities/Exhibits Director
Josh Annett
Facilities/Exhibits Director
Fun Facts:
Go-to karaoke song: “My Maria”
Least favorite sports team: Philadelphia Eagles (any PA Team)
Dog breed most like: Rottweiler
Mascot Josh would hang with for a day: Bevo (University of Texas)


Ryan Binning
Traveling Exhibits Manager
Ryan Binning
Traveling Exhibits Manager
Fun Facts:
Celebrity Doppelganger: David Koresh
Funniest thing heard at the museum: Josh Annett and Myles Pickett singing “My Maria”
Funniest thing witnessed working at the museum: Josh Annett and Myles Pickett singing “My Maria”
Childhood stuffed animal: A tiny dalmatian named Porkchop
Most ridiculous fact Ryan knows: Hippopotamonstrosesquipedaliaphobia is the fear of long words


Myles Pickett
Exhibits and Facilities Tech
Myles Pickett
Exhibits and Facilities Tech
Fun Facts:
Funniest thing heard at the museum: “I can’t remember everything I say.”
Three fictional characters that best describe Myles: Han Solo, Vito Corleone and Tom Sawyer
Favorite weird food combo: Hot Cheetos and cottage cheese
Go-to emoji: Exploding unicorn head


Tyrone Cooper
Facilities Care Tech
Tyrone Cooper
Facilities Care Tech
Fun Facts:
Dog breed most like: Wolf dog
Tyrone is a violinist.
Skill that would lead to his survival on a deserted island: Construction
Least favorite sports team: Cincinnati Bengals
Believes pineapples belong on a pizza.


Ramon Alvarado
Exhibit and Facilities Tech
Ramon Alvarado
Exhibit and Facilities Tech
Fun Facts:
How long would Ramon survive in a zombie apocalypse: “Till it ended”
Thinks pineapple does not belong on pizza
Hypothetical band name would be “None Given”


Sam Kerr
Facilities Care Tech
Sam Kerr
Facilities Care Tech
Fun Facts:
Dog breed most like: Beagle
Wanted to grow up and become a conservationist
Three fictional characters that describe Sam: Bonnie Harper from “The Craft,” The Badger from “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” and Susanna Kaysen from “Girl, Interrupted.”
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Eli. He seems approachable but will draw blood.”


Kjuan Campbell
Facilities Care Tech
Kjuan Campbell
Facilities Care Tech
Fun Facts:
Finance


Lisa Paden
Chief Financial Officer/Chief People Officer
Lisa Paden
Chief Financial Officer/Chief People Officer
Fun Facts:
Wanted to grow up to become a CPA (and is a CPA.)
Weirdest thing in home: an abacus
Mascot Lisa would hang out with for a day: Dusty the Delta Air Lion “So I could travel the world.”
Favorite joke: How does Santa value his sleigh? The net present value!


Kerri Berkemeyer
Accounting/Office Manager
Kerri Berkemeyer
Accounting/Office Manager
Fun Facts:
Secret talent: Embroidery/appliqué hobby.
Would survive in a zombie apocalypse for 0.2 seconds.
Favorite weird food combo: Spaghetti with bread and butter pickles
Wanted to grow up and own a daycare (and now has a lot of grandchildren.)
Marketing


Keesha Bass-Motley
Digital Media Specialist
Keesha Bass-Motley
Digital Media Specialist
Fun Facts:
Go-to karaoke song: “Vision of Love” by Mariah Carey
Museum of Discovery Animal Ambassador kindred spirit: “Scarlet the snake because she loves attention, food, and a heat lamp.”
If Keesha were a nail polish, she’d be named Antique Ham
Favorite joke: “I was reading the dictionary. I thought it was a poem about everything.” – Steven Wright
Three fictional characters that describe Keesha: Annie Hall, Bobby Hill, and Peggy Olson