CLEVELAND (December 12, 2025) – Great Lakes Science Center’s Board of Directors elected board member Katinka Domotorffy to serve as the 10th chairperson in the museum board’s history. She succeeds outgoing Board Chair Steven A. Karklin.
The board officially approved Domotorffy as the new chair on December 10, and she will assume the role after the next board meeting on March 13, 2026.
Domotorffy has served as a trustee of the Putnam Funds at Putnam Investments since 2012 and as a member of the Investment Committee of the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies from 2012 to 2024. Prior to 2012, she was the CIO and Head of the Quantitative Investment Strategies Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
She assumes leadership of the Science Center’s board at a crucial time in the organization’s history. The Science Center is preparing to celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2026 and is in the public phase of its $25 million Force for Tomorrow campaign, aimed at increasing access to STEM education programs, creating new permanent exhibitions and ensuring the long-term sustainability of its mission.
Domotorffy said she feels fortunate to step into her new role with a board that is fully engaged, highly strategic and deeply committed to serving the community with important and impactful initiatives. “All of us want this organization to achieve its mission at the highest level and that's what we are collectively working toward every day,” she said. “My goals as board chair are many, and certain to evolve as the environment we operate in is quite dynamic, but if I had to simplify it to a single sentence it would be that I would like the Science Center to be more broadly recognized by everyone in the region — families, students, media, government — as the region's most engaging, future-focused STEM institution and truly valued for the indispensable gem that it is — located on our beautiful lakefront and inspiring the future innovation and growth that will lift our city and region to ever greater heights.”
Her relationship with the Science Center started with a membership. A native of the Cleveland area, Domotorffy remained a member of the Science Center while living and working in New York.
“As many Clevelanders will tell you, you can take us out of Cleveland, but you can never take the Cleveland out of us — and that was true for me during the approximately 20 years that I spent living elsewhere,” she said. “I had always been drawn to the Science Center because of my love of mathematics and my belief that making education appealing is the best thing we can do for our children. "I joined as a member when my kids were little because it was something fun to do when we were home visiting family, and my kids' earliest memories include trips to the Science Center. When I moved back to Cleveland, I knew that I wanted to get involved in a meaningful capacity, and I joined the board shortly thereafter.”
Science Center President & CEO Kirsten Ellenbogen knew she would be a great addition to the board. “Her path from member to board chair is such a valuable asset to the institution,” Ellenbogen said. “We love that Katinka’s experience with Great Lakes Science Center started in the way it does for many of our guests, as a parent looking for family activities that create memories and inspire. She is passionate about the importance of our role in Northeast Ohio and ensuring the Science Center remains accessible to everyone.”
Domotorffy also serves on the board of College Now in Cleveland and served as vice chair of the board for Reach Out and Read of Greater New York. She is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the London School of Economics and Political Science, where she earned her master’s degree in accounting and finance. She lives in Westlake with her husband, Ben, and their blended family of five children.
Other new roles on the board taking effect in March include board member Mitchell Blair of Calfee, Halter & Griswold, who will serve as vice chair of the Science Center Board. Susan Flaherty, a partner at Ernst & Young, will continue to serve as Treasurer in 2026. Adam Munson, senior vice president, general counsel and assistant secretary at Cleveland-Cliffs, will continue in the role of board secretary.
Outgoing Board Chair Karklin led the board through the challenges of the global pandemic and the successful quiet phase of the Force for Tomorrow campaign, which has raised $21 million to date. The campaign has included the successful 2024 opening of the Cleveland Creates Gallery, presented by Sherwin-Williams Company; and the 2025 opening of the new early childhood exhibit, Handle With Care, presented by the Ron and Lydia Harrington Family Foundation. He will continue his service on the board as immediate past chair, stepping into that role in March 2026.
About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the top 10 museums in the nation as celebrated by the 2025 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Science Museum. The Science Center hosted Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. The Science Center makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid, a leading provider of insight and data about the non-profit world. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.