Blue Hill Observatory Announces New Board of Trustees to Guide Next Era of Global Impact
New governing board brings leaders across science, technology, finance, education, and industry as the 141-year-old institution expands its reach and impact
MILTON, Mass. — September 8, 2026 — Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center today announced a new Board of Trustees charged with helping guide the 141-year-old scientific institution through one of the most ambitious periods in its history: expanding Blue Hill Observatory from a renowned regional institution into one with global reach and scientific impact.The new Board assumed responsibility for governance of the Observatory on September 1. Its members bring leadership experience spanning atmospheric and climate science, technology and data, finance, education, environmental policy, corporate governance, and global business.
“For 141 years, Blue Hill Observatory has done something remarkably simple and remarkably important: we have kept measuring,” said Alexander Evans-Schneiderman, Ph.D., President and CEO of Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center. “That extraordinary continuity has created a scientific asset whose importance extends far beyond New England. Our opportunity now is to make what generations built on Great Blue Hill more accessible, more connected, and more useful to scientists, educators, communities, and decision-makers around the world.”
The new Board of Trustees includes Aaron Cunningham, MBA; John Ferris, M.S.; Michi Holmes Foster, MST, MBA; Alexandra Graham, Ph.D., MBA; Michael Hogan, JD, Ph.D.; Tamara Shapiro Ledley, Ph.D.; Bob Maxson, Ph.D., FRAeS; Ellen Mecray, M.S.; Mickey Negus, M.S., M.A.; Lewis Pollock; Dane Ratliff, J.D.; Cynthia Skief, Ed.D.; and David Zabetakis, MBA. Evans-Schneiderman serves as President and CEO.
Collectively, the Trustees bring decades of leadership across the scientific, public, nonprofit, and private sectors. Their backgrounds include senior roles at NOAA and the National Weather Service, KAYAK, Charles Schwab, USAID, MassDOT, and the City of Boston, along with experience in international science, environmental law, global health, technology, higher education, philanthropy, and nonprofit governance.
The breadth of the new Board reflects a broader transformation underway at Blue Hill Observatory. The Observatory is working to modernize and expand access to more than 140 years of meteorological observations, strengthen its scientific partnerships, grow educational and public programs, and connect its unique long-term record with researchers and institutions around the world.
Founded in 1885 by pioneering meteorologist Abbott Lawrence Rotch, Blue Hill Observatory has continuously observed weather from the summit of Great Blue Hill for more than 140 years. That continuity provides a rare window into how weather and climate have changed across generations. It also provides an increasingly valuable foundation for understanding future change.
“For 141 years, we have measured the atmosphere from one place,” Evans-Schneiderman said. “That continuity is exactly what allows this record to matter around the world. What happens on this hill impacts the world.”
The Board will provide governance, financial oversight, and long-term strategic direction as the Observatory pursues this next phase of growth while protecting the continuity and scientific integrity that have defined Blue Hill Observatory since its founding.
About Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center
Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center is a National Historic Landmark located atop Great Blue Hill in Milton, Massachusetts. Founded in 1885, the Observatory is home to the oldest continuous weather record in North America and is recognized as a World Meteorological Organization Centennial Observing Station. The Observatory advances weather and climate science through continuous observation, stewardship of its historic scientific record, research, education, and public engagement.Media Contact Blue Hill Observatory & Science Center Milton, Massachusetts bluehill.org
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