Jessica Hellmann is executive director at the St. Paul-based Institute on the Environment, part of the University of Minnesota, as well as a professor in the university’s Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior. On the board of trustees for the Science Museum of Minnesota for seven years, she has used her expertise to help steward the legacy of one of the nation’s top science institutions. Recently, the former chair worked to steer the St. Paul-based museum out of pandemic-related losses, ensuring science learning remained accessible while advancing equity in STEM. She also leads the U of M’s Midwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, where her work fostering interdisciplinary collaboration across eight states mirrors her efforts to build networks throughout the museum.