Gabriela Chavarria

Dr. Gabriela Chavarria was appointed Executive Director of ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum in 2025. She is carrying forward the museum’s mission of inspiring curiosity and wonder through scientific exploration and interactive experiences, serving visitors of all ages.

Prior to joining ScienceWorks, Dr. Chavarria was Executive Director of the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, Washington. Before that, she served as Vice President and Chief Curator of the Science Division at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Dr. Chavarria has also held federal leadership roles, including Senior Science Advisor to the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forensic Science Branch Chief at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon.

She also brought her scientific and advocacy expertise to positions at Defenders of Wildlife, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Dr. Chavarria earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the National University of Mexico and her master’s and doctorate in organismic and evolutionary biology from Harvard University. She serves on numerous boards, including the American Institute of Biological Sciences, The Nature Conservancy in Colorado, the American Alliance of Museums Accreditation Program, the National Parks Conservation Association Wildlife Council, and the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She became a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2022.

Growing up in Mexico City, Dr. Chavarria fell in love with bees at an early age and has devoted her career to the conservation of native pollinators, especially bumble bees. She is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists.