Global Collaborations

Tom Rockwell is Creative Director at the Exploratorium, San Francisco’s museum of science, art, and human perception. Since joining the Exploratorium in 2005, Tom has led the exhibits and media departments, the development of new galleries for the museum's move to the waterfront in 2013, as well as the Geometry Playground exhibition and other National Science Foundation supported projects. His interests include exhibiting the human sciences, mathematics, and fundamental physical phenomena, as well as exploring the relationship between science, art, and religion. Prior to coming to San Francisco, Tom founded and ran Painted Universe, Inc. where projects included exhibitions such as It’s a Nano World, The Enchanted Museum: Exploring the Science of Art, and illustrations for The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene.

Silva has successfully grown vibrant, mission-based enterprise for nonprofits, specialty retail, and travel. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in zoology, Silva spent ten years developing proprietary products, innovative programs, and fruitful partnerships for The Nature Company. More recently, as the COO and leading strategist for Backroads, she managed a complex global operation. Since joining the Exploratorium in 2010, Silva and the Global Collaborations team have been working with diverse partners around the world to build capacity and create phenomenal, inquiry-based experiences.

Mike came to Global Collaborations with extensive management experience in the for-profit sector, fostering growth through strategic support and organizational direction in large and small firms. Most recently, as Business Manager at Juniper Ridge, he supported the fledgling company’s position as a leader in the natural aromatherapy field. Prior to that, he spearheaded several product initiatives as Regional Manager of Backroads, one of the world’s largest active travel companies. Mike is driven by a philosophy centering on cultivated experiences, exceeding client expectations, and finding meaningful connections through every step of a project to guarantee innovative and memorable results. Mike has a BA in English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Anne collaborates with Global Collaborations’ partners to develop cultures of learning that align with their organizational and community goals and values. Her areas of focus include educational programming, professional development, and institutional learning. During her tenure at the Exploratorium, Anne directed the Field Trip Explainer Program and Member Education Programs. She also launched and directed Helix, a one-year, experimental community-science center. In her early career, she developed and implemented science-and-art learning experiences at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Department of Environment, Mass Audubon, and the Alliance for the Great Lakes. Anne holds a PhD and an MS in environmental studies from Antioch University New England, and a BA in art history from Northwestern University.

Owen's project management expertise combines his background designing interactive experiences, consulting on environmental issues, and being an entrepreneur. Owen joined the Exploratorium in 2011 to oversee the refurbishment of more than 500 exhibits prior to the museum's reopening at Pier 15 in 2013. He also led the design, exhibit development, and installation for Bechtel Gallery 3. After successfully completing these major projects, Owen became the Exploratorium's Exhibit Collections and Maintenance Manager, and later the Environment Program Manager, helping to advance the museum's environmental science programs. Prior to joining the Exploratorium, Owen worked as an environmental and sustainability consultant for corporate and government clients. He holds a BS in environmental science from Michigan State University and an MBA in sustainable enterprise from Dominican University.

Adam works with developers, graphic designers, and content specialists to design whole exhibits and surrounding environments at the Exploratorium and beyond its walls. Prior to joining the Exploratorium, he worked at Gallagher & Associates in Shanghai, and West Office Exhibition Design in Oakland, California. For the past 12 years, he has been involved in the design and development of interactive museum, cultural, and corporate exhibits in the United States and Asia that create meaningful experiences for the people who use and interact with them. He holds a BS in industrial and environmental design from the Art Center College of Design, and a BA from the School of Architecture and Department of East Asian Languages and Culture at the University of Southern California. 

Allyson is a creative project manager and detail-oriented archivist. She is the first line of contact for most Global Collaborations inquiries, and coordinates many aspects of the department’s domestic and international work. Before joining the Global Collaborations team in 2013, Allyson honed her collaboration and organizational skills by wrangling a variety of artists, archives, and exhibitions across the United States—from New York to California to Texas. She is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound with a BA in art history and chemistry and holds an MA in museum studies from New York University.    

Akiko brings over 10 years of experience in teaching, educational programming, and program management to Global Collaborations. Most recently, Akiko led the Exploratorium’s Lifelong Learning programs, leading educators who delivered Girls Science Institute, summer camps, and excursions. Combining a love of learning with her practical experience as a classroom teacher, Akiko leads projects to foster rich dialogue and memorable, thought-provoking experiences. Her professional foundation is grounded in growing up and working in Japan, as well as working as a credentialed special education teacher in New York City’s public schools. She’s also worked in a variety of creative and cultural organizations, such as the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology at UC Berkeley, Pixar Animation Studios, and The Onion. Akiko earned her BA in English and philosophy from Occidental College, and a Master’s in special education and childhood education from Fordham University.

Dana joined Global Collaborations with expertise in leading teams, projects, and strategy in the areas of print and digital content and organizational storytelling. She especially enjoys collaborations that require adapting the Exploratorium’s ethos of exploration, inquiry, and empowerment to new contexts. Before transitioning to the museum field, she was the Executive Editor at an award-winning nonprofit bilingual press dedicated to promoting cultural equity and inclusion in children’s literature. In 2012 she became the Exploratorium’s Managing Editor, and also produced educational content for the museum’s Institute for Research and Learning. She left to join SFMOMA in 2015, leading the editorial team through the museum’s expansion and reopening, and rejoined the Exploratorium in 2017. She received her BA in comparative literature from Brown University.

Having served in various roles at the Exploratorium since 2007, Danilo has a deep understanding of the institution’s mission and the versatility that is so essential for taking on the wide-ranging needs of Global Collaborations’ projects. Recent projects include coordinating Global Collaborations’ Helix Community Science Center in Los Altos, overseeing the refurbishment of several fleets of exhibits, and providing administrative support for the Field Trip Explainer program. Danilo has a BA in linguistics and geography from UC Berkeley.