Thinkery Leadership
Learn more about Thinkery’s executive leadership and Board of Directors.
Executive Leadership
Andy Bell, Chief Executive Officer, is a STEAM education advocate & thought leader who has spent his career building and leading programs that improve student outcomes through engaging, hands-on learning. As Director of Innovation at LEGO Education, he shaped products and experiences that inspired creativity in children across the globe through play-based learning. More recently Andy led the Academic Business Group for National Instruments, driving significant improvement in student engagement and success through project-based learning. Prior to becoming CEO, Andy served on Thinkery’s Board of Directors for three years; he and his family have been enthusiastic Members of Thinkery since their first daughter was born. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech and a certificate in integrative STEM Education from Virginia Tech. Andy enjoys live music, traveling to new places and spending time with his wife and two daughters
Brooke Turner, Vice President of STEAM Learning is a passionate education and programs executive focused on access and equity. Prior to joining Thinkery, Brooke held the role of Vice President of Programs for DivInc and co-founded a edtech startup, Kwaddle. Her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for impact came about while growing up in San Antonio, where Brooke saw first-hand the power and importance of culture, community, and education in building a more equitable world. She has applied those lessons throughout her career. She attended The University of Texas at Austin, where she earned her BA in English, as well as secondary education and special education teaching certification. After years as a classroom teacher, Brooke went on to earn her MA in technical communication with a focus on curriculum and development from Texas State University, which led to a career in the hi-tech industry at NI. From creating STEAM curricula and STEAM educator programs to running global thought-leadership campaigns, Brooke spent a decade growing as a leader in STEAM education and technology.
Outside of work, you can find Brooke reading, volunteering, doing home renovation projects, enjoying the outdoors, and hanging with family, including her partner in life and love, two incredible stepsons, and fur babies.
Rachel Hamilton, Chief Experience Officer, has over a decade of experience delivering and leading educational experiences for youth in the arts. A lifelong learner and perpetual student, she has earned Master’s degrees in theatre for youth and library science, in addition to a degree in culinary arts. Rachel has found joy facilitating learning through play-based experiences in a variety of settings, including theatres, hospitals, detention centers and, of course, museums. She believes in the innate power of children, their imaginations and their curiosity. At Thinkery, she is working to build a culture of belonging through the thoughtful integration of our museum operations, guest & member relations, public programs, and gallery education experiences. Rachel spends her time outside hiking, camping, traveling and exploring with her partner and her time inside experimenting with new recipes and annoying her two cats with her neediness.
Michele Freeman, Chief People Officer, Michele brings 20 years of experience of working in the nonprofit and social impact space to Thinkery. She has worked at organizations that focused on community support, child welfare, international development, and education. She has served in several leadership roles that encompass the people operations function of organizations and enjoys working in the people and culture space, getting to know and support teams and create human centered experiences. She attended St. Edward’s University and holds a bachelor’s degree in organizational communication and a Professional in Human Resources designation. She is a lifelong learner and is always seeking out new opportunities to learn.
In her free time, you can find her hanging out with family & friends and spending time reading, visiting Austin’s great restaurants, seeing live music or comedy or being outside. She also spends time serving as board chair of a local nonprofit.
Rachel Mallernee, Chief Advancement Officer, brings 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, raising millions of dollars for cancer research and support, adults with disabilities and their families, early literacy and education, and healthcare focused on children and women. Prior to diving into the nonprofit space, Rachel had a successful sales career in Houston, where she grew up. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Houston – Clear Lake. Since moving to the Austin area in 2006, Rachel has served the community in a variety of ways, including board service with the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater Austin Chapter and I Live Here I Give Here. She continues to mentor and support fundraisers in our community and is passionate about aligning donors with the causes they love in order to make a positive impact in our community. Rachel is a proud graduate of Leadership Austin 43 Essentials Class of 2021.
Rachel lives in Pflugerville with her husband, Louie, her daughter Stella and fur-baby, Penny. Rachel loves the arts, learning, exploring and finding new things to see, do and eat in Austin!
Jené Shepherd, Vice President of Marketing and Communications, is a social impact communicator who wholeheartedly believes in the transformative power of storytelling to foster empathy, grow community, and ignite change. Jené is committed to ensuring that every child in our community can experience joy, hope, and the opportunity to dream big. Her work in impact communications at organizations like Breakthrough Central Texas, United Way for Greater Austin, and now Thinkery, allows her to live out that commitment. As a native Central Texan, Thinkery has been a central figure in Jené’s personal and professional life for more than twenty-five years, journeying from a visitor to an intern, and now an executive leader. A proud Texas Longhorn, she holds a BA from UT Austin and an MA in Strategic Communications from Texas State University. Outside of work, Jené finds joy in exploring art museums, diving into a good book, and, of course, being inspired by the one and only Beyoncé.
Matt Stalberger, Vice President of Exhibits & Facilities, brings over twenty years of management, design, engineering, and fabrication experience to Thinkery projects. Prior to rejoining Austin Children’s Museum in June of 2010, Matt had focused his professional efforts on residential and commercial construction projects for several years as a Construction Manager. For the past 11 years, he has devoted his expertise at Austin Children’s Museum and Thinkery to the development and production of interactive learning experiences. He is passionate about maximizing the overall value of the guest experience Thinkery provides by upholding the highest level of production methods and maintenance practices possible. Matt holds a BS in Industrial Design and an AAS in Culinary Arts. He is fascinated with biology and enjoys hiking, camping, cooking, and almost everything about being a dad.
Board of Directors
2023-24 Executive Committee
K.C. Barner, President – Aetna, a CVS Health Company
Jonelle Bradshaw de Hernandez, President-Elect – University of Texas at Austin
Jason Green, Treasurer – Stratosphere Management Executive Consultants
Members at Large
Alyssa Morton, Empower Schools
Ashley Prevost, Texas Education Agency
Chris Munson, Windswept Capital
Chris Rios, Wells Fargo
Georgia Kaidas Mavrookas, Indeed
Jason Green, Stratosphere Management Executive Consultants
Jessica Bruehl, JKB Realty
Jessica Guerra Reynolds, Catellus
Jessie Montgomery Stewart, The Trail Conservancy
John Antonelli, Antonelli’s Cheese Shop
Juan Garcia, Raymond James
Karen Plotkin, Dell Technologies
Karuna Annavajjala, Silicon Labs
Linsey Nixon, Volunteer
Mark Steiger, Optum Everycare
Monica May, Expedia
Sara Feulner, Auctane
YiShaun Yang, Family Lingo
Yvonne Camarena, CommUnityCare
Plan your next trip to Thinkery
Learn more about the new Thinkery experience and review Thinkery’s health and safety information.