This week, the Leadership Colorado cohort stepped behind the scenes at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science to explore what it takes to lead a mission-driven organization at scale. CEO George Sparks, CFO Ashley Bassim, EVP of Exhibit Planning Nancy Walsh, and SCFD Deputy Director Jessica Kato shared insights on measuring impact, planning for the future, managing complexity across departments, and the specialized expertise required to operate one of the nation’s premier cultural institutions.
The group also learned how the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD) fuels Colorado’s vibrant cultural sector, supporting education and access for communities across the region.
True to the Museum’s spirit, participants rolled up their sleeves for hands-on science: air scribing dinosaur fossils, pinning beetles, exploring the genomics lab, and even contributing to active research. The day wrapped with a laser show, leaving the cohort with a deeper appreciation for the business of science, culture, and community impact.
After the session, participants said:
“The panel with the museum’s leaders was a highlight. They offered valuable insights into how to run a nonprofit organization like a for-profit business, the changes in customer preferences that they are dealing with and how this city uniquely incorporates culture activities into its DNA. I could listen to George Sparks all day, but both his COO and CFO had very valuable insights to offer as well.”
“Hearing from the panel was great – learning about the business operations, history of the business, challenges and successes, plans for the business in the future, culture, etc. – and the hands-on (fossil) breakout group. It was fun and interesting getting some “real experience” behind the scenes of the museum.”
“I was left with two distinct messages. First, I felt like the talk about the changing habits of visitors and the museum’s relationship to government-funding revenue emphasized the need to stay nimble, and I picked up bits and pieces of how to do that throughout the leadership panel. But it hit home too when not only did leaders not complain about having to go back to voters for SCFD approval but said they liked having to do so because it kept them in touch with the community. Many things that leaders mentioned served to reinforce how much a business must understand and respect its customers’ needs in order to be successful.”
“I loved hearing from George Sparks. He has such an interesting background! But what really caught my attention was his comment that it’s ok to go do something you really want to do toward the end of your career and run with it. That it’s ok to really pursue things that are of personal interest to you. I loved that.”
