I made the move to the Field Museum after a career in education nonprofits largely because I've seen the key role the museum plays in our education system in Chicago. Wherever a child lives in Chicago and whatever challenges and barriers they might face in their neighborhood, they have access to a world-class institution right in their backyard that can expose them to the joy of discovery and the wonder of the natural world. Seeing the excitement on the faces of hundreds of young students when I head into work every day has been one of the great joys of my life -- and getting to work side-by-side with brilliant scientists and educators is such a privilege.

Wednesday, June 10th is the Field Museum's Giving Day -- basically a chance for all of us at the Field Museum and those who share our love for it to support the science, research, collections and educational outreach efforts at the museum. More than 60% of the funding that makes the work of the museum possible comes from private donations.

I'm hoping to raise at least $2,500 on my personal page from at least 20 donors -- thank you for considering make a gift today!

To learn more about Giving Day, visit the main Giving Day web page at fieldmuseum.io/GivingDay2026.