Cynthia Brown
Principal + CEO
Since receiving an encyclopedia set at the age of five (remember those), Cynthia Brown has considered herself a lifelong learner. She began her museum career working with fine art collections, researching and curating for various art and natural history museums. By working with collections, she learned the power of a compelling storyline and how to activate an artifact through personal narratives. By carefully choosing words, facts, and tone, she became a master at creating a concise storyline using all facets of a resonating experience—media, interactives, objects, scenic elements, programming, and the curiosity of the visitor. She loves to develop experiences that are authentic and inquiry-based that foster an ah-ha moment rooted in history and science.
Cynthia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History and Nonprofit Management from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies in the field of Museum Studies from Harvard University, as well as coursework in Painting and Visual Communications from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She has served on the American Alliance of Museum’s Traveling Exhibits Network (TEN) Board since 2014—most recently as board chair—as well as a Board Member of the Cycling Museum of Minnesota. Over her career, she has held key positions at the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science.
John Shaw
Principal + COO
For more than 20 years, John has been creating and managing interactive experiences in museums and science centers. Since beginning his museum career at the Center of Science & Industry (Columbus, OH), he has held many roles in traveling exhibitions, exhibit operations, project management, and experience development. John has directed exhibition development and traveling exhibit efforts for both the Glazer Children’s Museum and the Golisano Children’s Museum of Naples. He excels at guiding projects from idea to completion and is skilled at managing complex project teams and stakeholders.
John has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management and Spanish from Capital University (Columbus, Ohio) and studied international business and Spanish at the George Washington University Madrid Study Center at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Madrid, Spain). John has served as an officer of the American Alliance of Museums Traveling Exhibits Network (TEN) and as a reviewer for the Institute of Museum and Library Services’ (IMLS) Museums for America grant program.
Sarah Lima
Principal
Sarah found her way into museums as a landscape archaeologist in Greece and Albania. Her human-centered approach to exhibition strategy and creative development is shaped by a career bridging museums and industry. She began in touring exhibitions with the Cincinnati Museum Center, later guiding the institution’s multiyear gallery renovations. She has also developed national exhibitions with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service and directed design-build projects for museums, attractions, and brands with the firm Roto. A proud “nerdy generalist,” Sarah pairs strong knowledge in planning, experience development, media-based storytelling, and production with a passion for authentic storytelling.
A Fulbright Alum, Sarah holds a Master’s degree in Prehistoric Archaeology with advancement to Ph.D. candidacy from the University of Cincinnati, a Post-Baccalaureate in Ancient Greek and Latin from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor’s degree in Classical Civilization from Indiana University.
Laura Geake
Project Manager
An internship “just for fun” in the education department at the Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, IL squarely ruined her for any other career possibilities. She was a museum person. Her Bachelor of Science in Child, Adult, and Family Services offers a unique lens into visitor experience and creating museum experiences in collaboration with communities and partnerships.
Laura holds a Master of Arts in Museum Studies focusing on education and visitor experience from Johns Hopkins University. She has held management positions at the Science Center of Iowa, Iowa Children’s Museum, and Science Museum of Minnesota prior to joining the team.
Rivah Winter, PhD
Experience Developer
A research scientist by training, Rivah Winter, PhD explores various content areas, while applying her research background and STEM expertise to each project. Rivah brings STEM concepts to life and makes each exhibition project relevant to every visitor.
Rivah holds a PhD in Marine Biology and Ecology from the University of Miami and a Bachelor of Science degree in Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution from the University of California. She is winner of the Cappsci Inventors Prize and directed a molecular research laboratory at the Frost Museum of Science.
Julia Nicolaus
Experience Designer
Museum lover and enthusiast, Julia Nicolaus, knew she enjoyed designing exhibits and experiences from a young age. With her background in Entertainment Design, she strives to bring experiences to life from their ideation to the installation phase, ensuring every project is unique and engaging for all ages.
Julia holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Entertainment Design and a Minor in Business from Ringling College of Art and Design. She has experience designing for multiple industries, including hospitality, cruise lines, and museum exhibits.
Harper Hancock
Graphic Designer
Born with a love for creativity, Harper Hancock has channeled this passion into a career shaping vibrant visual experiences. She brings playful energy and thoughtful design to museum exhibits, transforming educational content into engaging, memorable moments for families.
Beyond exhibitions, Harper crafts bold brand identities and polished visual assets, drawing on her experience in newspaper design to balance clarity with creativity. She studied Graphic Design at Eastern Illinois University and is enthusiastic about connecting with people through visual storytelling.
Our EXPerts:
Beth Housewert
Play + Engagement Strategist
Beth Housewert’s passionate background in non-traditional education techniques along with her contagious enthusiasm brings many levels of knowledge to the table. During her 21 years of experience in both formal education and children’s museum settings, she has created new age and developmentally appropriate programming, spearheaded educational exhibit design projects, installed evaluation measures, created and maintained budgets, while facilitating staff development with mentorship and guidance.
Jamie DeRuyter
Exhibit Designer
Jamie DeRuyter has a broad design background in computer animation, visual effects, and 3D design. His work spans the entertainment sector from museums and theme parks to video games. In addition to his professional design practice, Jamie has been a faculty member at Ringling College of Art and Design since 2002 and heads up its newest major, Entertainment Design. He has helped hundreds of students achieve their dreams of working in the themed entertainment and animation.
Samantha Tableriou
Graphic Designer
Samantha Tableriou is an award-winning graphic designer and educator based in central Illinois. In addition to teaching college-level design curriculum, she is versed in graphic design for exhibitions and experiential designs. Samantha is passionate about working with multidisciplinary teams to create tactile, environmental, in-person experiences, in which families, friends, individuals, and colleagues can learn, be moved, connect, and immerse in astonishing, unforgettable stories together.