a president's circle summit

building a culture of tinkering:

how museums and corporations can transform education

event details

october 6
8:00 am - 11:30 am
national children's museum
washington, dc
event registration
coming soon

about

National Children’s Museum’s President’s Circle events bring together leaders in science, education, industry, and policy to explore how best to support and inspire children. They showcase playful learning approaches that provide powerful and effective ways to encourage children to be critical thinkers and confident learners.

This President’s Circle Summit is a high-impact event exploring tinkering and maker environments and how they can shape the next generation of innovators. Distinguished leaders in education, museums, and industry discuss real-world examples of creating trial-and-error environments like maker spaces and their impact on child development and future career pathways. Attendees will also experience tinkering firsthand through an abridged version of the larger Tinkerfest taking place throughout the Museum on October 3rd and 4th. During the showcase, partner organizations
and local makers will share their work and host hands-on workshops
geared toward a professional audience.

event overview

8:00 - 8:20 am – welcome reception
8:20 - 8:40 am – fireside chat
8:40 - 9:15 am – practitioner panel: what it takes to create maker and tinkering environments
9:15 - 10:15 am – tinkering showcase with interactive workshops + networking
10:15 - 11:00 am – industry panel: investing in innovation + child agency

11:00 - 11:30 am – closing + networking

building a culture of tinkering

Research shows that there are positive links between a child’s psychological
health and the risk-taking and learning-from-failure processes inherent in tinkering activities. Tinkering gives agency back to children. In a world increasingly shaped by technologies that provide instantaneous answers while removing critical thinking, problem-solving, and experimentation from daily workflows, tinkering provides young learners a safe way to make choices, take risks, tolerate frustration, and discover their own solutions. It is where curiosity, confidence, and resilience are built; not through instruction but through hands-on, self-directed discovery. As industries race to prepare the next generation for a future none of us can fully predict, the most important skill we can nurture may not be a specific technology, but the capacity to try, fail, adapt, and try again.

practitioner panel

Rebecca Grabman

Manager of Maker Education, Children's Museum of Pittsburgh

Rebecca Grabman (she/her) has worked in museum makerspaces since 2010, designing and delivering programs, participating in field-wide research, and presenting across the country. She is passionate about inviting people of all ages and abilities to try new things, work without an undo button, and celebrate the learning that happens through play. Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts from Bennington College, and a Master of Entertainment Technology from Carnegie Mellon University.

Adam Maltese

Professor of Science Education, Indiana University

Adam Maltese is a professor of science education at Indiana University Bloomington and the Martha Lea and Bill Armstrong Chair in Teacher Education (2020-2025). His research focuses on how students develop and sustain interest in STEM; the impact of hands-on experiences on students’ attitudes and learning; how learners and educators respond to failure; and how to support all learners in developing expertise as problem solvers. He researches learners from elementary school through graduate school, in both formal and informal environments. At IU, he teaches secondary science methods and graduate seminars on making for learning, International STEM education and AI in education. He directs the Make Innovate Learn Lab, a makerspace at the IU School of Education, and serves as co-editor of Visitor Studies.

Chitra Sharma

Artist + Tinkerer-in-Residence, National Children's Museum

Textile printmaker and visual artist, Chitra Sharma, is currently based in Vienna VA. Chitra grew up in the UK, and studied Textile Design and printmaking at the Winchester School of Art before training to be an art educator at The Institute of Education, University College London. Before moving to the USA, she gained experience working in diverse fields within the creative industry, including publishing, fashion, public art, and textile design.

Chitra has lived in the USA since 2004, initially working for four years as an IB visual arts educator at the Washington International School. In 2009, she set up her own company, Noctiluna, with an aim to return to her personal art and design practice while continuing to teach, and provide opportunities for young people to engage with the arts on a regular basis.

For the past thirteen years, Chitra has conducted a Creativity Summer Camp for school age children in Vienna. The camp focuses on process oriented learning, creative thinking skills and play.

Chitra's fine art practice concentrates on meditative forms of painting and embroidery. It is strongly driven by her textile and pattern making background - focusing on color, tension, scale and organic patterns found in nature.

In 2019, Chitra was the Arts Fairfax artist in residence at Glasgow Middle School. Currently, she is honored to be the Tinkerer in Residence at the National Children's Museum in DC. She hopes to continue being a tinkerer in spirit and practice for many years to come.

Jasmine Thompson

STEAM Education Manager at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation

Jasmine Thompson is the STEAM Education Manager at MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, an interactive science museum in Santa Barbara, California. She leads MOXI’s floor team and oversees a range of hands-on learning experiences, including pop-up programming, field trips, and the museum’s makerspace, where young learners build, tinker, experiment, and grow their confidence as creative problem-solvers. With a background in photography and a master's degree in art and technology, Jasmine brings an interdisciplinary approach to designing hands-on learning experiences that blend art, science, engineering, and creativity.

Annalise Phillips (moderator)

Vice President of Learning + Access, National Children's Museum

Annalise Phillips is a museum leader with more than 16 years of experience creating joyful, hands-on learning experiences that spark curiosity and connection. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Alliant International University and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Writing from the University of San Francisco. Most recently, she served as the Managing Director of Programs and Learning Innovation at KID Museum, where she led a cross-disciplinary team in developing nationally recognized invention and maker programs that integrate creativity, equity, and real-world problem-solving. Previously, Phillips helped expand maker and visitor experiences at the University of California, Berkeley; the Bay Area Discovery Museum; and the New York Hall of Science. She began her career as a high school English teacher, an experience that continues to inform her belief in the power of curiosity-driven learning.

industry panel

David Dimmett

President + Chief Executive Officer, Project Lead The Way

Dr. David Dimmett is President and CEO of Project Lead The Way, a national nonprofit that connects classroom curriculum to real-world application through immersive experiences, purposeful industry partnerships, grant-supported access, and educator training. David Dimmett joined PLTW more than 15 years ago and previously led the Impact and Engagement teams. Prior to PLTW, he served as the Chief Academic Officer of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in Southwest Indiana. He has nearly 35 years of experience in Education.

Brittany Greer

Founder + Executive Director, Rosie Riveters

Brittany Greer is the Founder and Executive Director of Rosie Riveters, a nationally recognized nonprofit building the next generation of STEM talent. A results-driven executive with over 15 years of experience, she has led transformative initiatives at the intersection of workforce development, industry innovation, and mission-driven growth. Brittany has grown Rosie Riveters from a grassroots effort into an organization that has served more than 70,000 students across 15 states through hands-on programs that build critical thinking, problem-solving, and technical skills. Her global perspective, shaped by early leadership in UK political strategy and international energy communications, informs her work developing inclusive talent pipelines, forging cross-sector partnerships, and delivering scalable strategies that drive both business and social impact.

Jasper Jung

Executive Director of Global Strategic Initiatives for Global Public Policy, General Motors

Jasper Jung is the Executive Director of Strategic Initiatives for Global Public Policy at General Motors (GM). At GM, he is responsible for policy campaigns in support of GM’s growth and resilience efforts. Jasper has led GM’s engagement in areas including critical minerals and rare earth supply chains, economic and energy security, trade and supply chain resilience, trade issues, manufacturing and workforce development, emerging technologies and innovation, sustainability and energy.

Since joining GM in 2012, he has held various roles driving policy strategy and advocacy focused on sustainability, electrification, and industry transformation while based in Washington, DC, Detroit, Singapore, and Seoul. Jasper has crafted and steered a number of campaigns, including one of GM’s largest ever restructuring efforts and investment in GM Korea operations.

Jasper currently serves on several boards and advisory groups. He is a member of the President’s Leadership Council at the Inter -American Dialogue and is the Co -Chair of the Advisory Board for the Inter -American Dialogue’s Mexico Program . He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Children’s Museum in Washington, DC.

Prior to joining GM, Jasper led communication strategies for the Corporate Partnerships Program and private sector engagement at Environmental Defense Fund, a leading non-profit environmental advocacy organization. He also worked for a global public affairs firm, Public Strategies, Inc. He started his career in public policy at the White House and the United States Senate.

Jasper earned a B.A. in Government from The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently based in Washington D.C.

Kiryn Hoffman (moderator)

President + CEO, National Children’s Museum

Kiryn Hoffman is President and CEO of National Children’s Museum in Washington, DC. With 20 years of leadership experience in nonprofit organizations focused on scientific research and education, Kiryn has developed educational programs, led fundraising campaigns, and built community partnerships. Before coming to DC to lead the Museum, she spent a decade at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) as Chief Advancement Ofﬁcer. Kiryn is trained as a physical chemist and holds a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College and a master’s from New York University.

photos from past events

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president's circle

This conversations serves as one of many exclusive and engaging events for President's Circle members. These events delve into the intersections of children's education, science, technology, and culture, fostering collaboration and innovative solutions to enhance STEAM learning experiences for children.

The President’s Circle is a group of visionary leaders and dedicated advocates committed to the museum’s mission of inspiring children to care about and change the world. Fostering collaboration and promoting impactful thought leadership, membership in the President’s Circle provides access to exclusive events designed to lead the national conversation around early education through innovation and solution-oriented synergy.

learn more

past events

june 2026 — STEAM-powered solutions: driving community change through young innovators
february 2026 — nurturing future innovators as a path to prosperity
october 2025 — the finnish formula: play, learn, excel
september 2025 — shaping the future of AI education for young learners

a president's circle summit

building a culture of tinkering:

event details

october 6

national children's museum

event registration

about

event overview

building a culture of tinkering

practitioner panel

Rebecca Grabman

Adam Maltese

Chitra Sharma

Jasmine Thompson

Annalise Phillips (moderator)

industry panel

David Dimmett

Brittany Greer

Jasper Jung

Kiryn Hoffman (moderator)

photos from past events

president's circle

past events

quick links

hours

extended hours

location

a president's circle summit

building a culture of tinkering:

event details

october 6

national children's museum

event registration

about

event overview

building a culture of tinkering

why tinkering?

practitioner panel: what it takes to create maker + tinkering environments

industry panel: investing in innovation + child agency

tinkering showcase

practitioner panel

Rebecca Grabman

Adam Maltese

Chitra Sharma

Jasmine Thompson

Annalise Phillips (moderator)

industry panel

David Dimmett

Brittany Greer

Jasper Jung

Kiryn Hoffman (moderator)

photos from past events

president's circle

past events