1 of 36

2 of 36

Word of Welcome:

�Brigid Troan, Board Chair

Insights into finances, strategy, and organizational goals

3 of 36

Director’s Report:

�Todd Boyette, PhD.

Insights into finances, strategy, and organizational goals

4 of 36

Insights into finances, strategy, and organizational goals

5 of 36

Insights into finances, strategy, and organizational goals

6 of 36

Fiscal Year 2025 Results

7 of 36

Income

Category

FY25 Actuals ($)

Notes

State Funding & Grants

$ 1,332,000

Appropriations + F&A recovery

Gifts (Direct)

$ 653,451

Donor contributions

Gifts via Foundation

$ 118,136

Pass-through gifts via UNC Foundation

Endowment Payout

$ 137,303

Annual endowment distributions

Earned – Tickets

$ 925,472

Admissions revenue

Earned – Programs

$ 336,473

Program/service fees

Earned – Merchandise

$ 115,877

Gift shop sales

Earned – Memberships

$ 46,672

Membership dues

Earned – Rentals/Events

$ 23,551

Facility and event rentals

Other Sales/Transfers

$ 300,000

Misc. sales, transfers, support services

Carryover from Prior Grants

$ 789,138

Restricted grant dollars carried forward

Support from Fund Balances

$ 1,050,000

Internal adjustments, non-recurring

Total Income

$ 6,373,000

​

8 of 36

Expenses

Category

Personnel ($)

Program / Non-Personnel ($)

Total ($)

Advancement & Marketing

576,211

226,789

803,000

Business Administration

1,227,069

324,931

1,552,000

Visitor Experience

336,044

242,956

579,000

Science for All

1,850,638

807,362

2,658,000

Shared / Other Services

—

808,000

808,000

Total Expenses

3,989,962

2,410,038

6,400,000

9 of 36

FY 2025 Analysis

Category

FY25 Actuals ($)

Operational Analysis:

Narrative: (Strategic Priorities)

Income

$ 6,373,000

​

​

Expenses

$ 6,400,000

Programs: 1.60M (25%)

Science for All: $2.7M (42%)

Facilities: 0.81M (13%)

Space that Inspires: $2.4M (38%)

Personnel: 3.99M (62%)

Career Launchpad: $1.3M (20%)

Net Result

$ (27,000)

Near break-even; gap

covered by non-recurring funds

Philanthropy is required to close structural shortfall

10 of 36

Committee Reports

11 of 36

Access & External

12 of 36

Access and External Programs: Intros

Crystal Harden, EdD., Director, Programs and Strategic Engagement

Erik MacIntosh, Community Engagement Manager - Lead for NC Science Festival

Than Powell, Chair

Denise Clayton, Morehead Advisory Board

Tiffany Holung, Morehead Advisory Board

James Yankaskas, Morehead Advisory Board

Jonathan Fredrick, Member - CEO, Marbles Kids Museum & IMAX

Benjamin Saunders, Morehead Advisory Board

Christy Schaffer, Chair, NC Science Festival Advisory Board

​

13 of 36

Access and External Program: First Meeting

​

​

October 17, 2025

12:00pm

​

​

14 of 36

University

Engagement

15 of 36

University Engagement: Member Intros

Todd Boyette, Director, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center

Prof. Brad Barlow, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Dean Blackburn, UNC-CH Director of Student Wellness

Alison Friedman, Executive and Artistic Director at Carolina Performing Arts

Dr. Louis Muglia, President and CEO, Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Davida Rivens, Morehead Advisory Board

Student representative TBC

Frank Proctor, Morehead Advisory Board

​

16 of 36

University Engagement: First Meeting

​

​

October 13, 2025

2:00pm

​

​

17 of 36

University Engagement: Priorities

  • Strengthen campus-focused programming and outreach to make Morehead a meaningful part of every student’s Carolina experience.

​

  • Provide students working at Morehead with the skills, credentials, and network to ensure their future success.

​

  • Be valued by faculty as both a resource for classroom instruction and a powerful channel for public engagement to support their research funding applications.

​

  • Be an active and innovative partner with other units of the University —including Carolina Performing Arts, Ackland Art Museum, and North Carolina Botanical Garden—to create a corridor of inspiration and creativity.

18 of 36

University Engagement: On the Horizon

Reprise of I AM performance

October 23: Student Wellness Experience

October 24: Public Event

​

“Into the Metaverse”, proposed Fulldome Theater course by Prof. Barlow

​

​

Morehead as a cornerstone of Arts & Culture District

​

​

​

​

19 of 36

Membership

& Marketing

20 of 36

Membership and Marketing: Intros

Stephanie Cobert, Marketing and Communications Manager, MPSC

Angie Potiny, Member and Donor Relations Coordinator, MPSC

Kenji Brantley, Vice President, Strategy at UNC Health

Kami Spangenberg, Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Scientific Stature Services and Community Affairs, RTI International

Evan Ross, Director of Media, This January

Bradly Leonard, School Engagement Director, American Heart Association

Additional participants: Andrew Amodei, Todd Boyette

​

21 of 36

First Meeting Highlights – Sept 19th

Priorities

In the near-term, focus our efforts on supporting and strengthening marketing plans for the coming year

  • Align upcoming MPSC events and milestones to member, guest, and donor engagement strategies
  • Review and confirm our marketing mix across different channels
  • Strengthen key messages to each audience

​

In 2026, shift our focus to where we are headed in the future

  • Align to the future vision for Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
  • Opportunities to evolve our relationship with members, guests, and donors

22 of 36

Special

Projects

23 of 36

Special Projects: Member Intros

Michele Kloda, Director, Innovation and Design

Brigid Troan, Advisory Board Chair

Jesse Richuso, Member - Alumni

Alexander Knapp, Member - Alumni

Dave King, Advisory Board Member

David Shives, Member - Digital Experience and Product Design Specialist

​

24 of 36

Special Projects:

Items from Sept. Meeting

  1. New Exhibits
    1. Hidden Lives of Stars
  2. Pavilion/Welcome Plaza Project
    • Progress
  3. Dome Project
    • Goal to move to BoT in November
  4. Software Conversion
    • Visiting peer institutions with staff (Oct. 6 - Kaledium)

​

25 of 36

Alumni,

Events,

& Fundraising

26 of 36

Alumni, Events, & Fundraising: Intros

Andrew Amodei, Chief Development Officer

Ellie Quinlan, Assistant Director of Development

Karen Villeda, Morehead Advisory Board

Jon Mills, Member - Excellent at all things.

27 of 36

Updates:

New Hire: Ellie Quinlan

​

Assistant Director of Development

​

28 of 36

Fall Updates:

Many meetings:

​

  1. Charlotte
    1. Watch Party and Group Development
  2. Washington D.C.
    • Director Dinner, Group Development
  3. Berkeley
    • Upcoming - October
  4. Atlanta
    • Upcoming - November

29 of 36

Updates:

Upcoming Events:

​

  • I AM, 10.24
  • Meteor Mixer, 11.15
  • The Future of Morehead, 11.21
  • 2026:
    • Charlotte Gatherings
      1. February
      2. April (Sci Fest)
    • Atlanta, April & September/Oct.
    • Jupiter Ball, November 2026
    • Atlanta (maybe, 2027) @ COSM

30 of 36

Updates:

Sponsorship Updates (SciFest):

RTI

Duke Energy

​

Open Asks:

Amgen Syngenta

Google Nordisk

BioNetwork Gilead (CA)

Biogen Anonymous Trust

Thermo Fisher

Merk

​

​

Sponsorship Updates (SFAS):

Burroughs Wellcome Fund

​

​

Open Asks:

Wolfspeed

Kate B. Reynolds

Z. Smith Reynolds

Biogen

Wolfspeed

BASF

Triangle Community

Foundation

​

31 of 36

Updates:

Upcoming Projects:

​

  1. Alumni Stories
  2. Third-Party Analysis
  3. Annual Fund
  4. Round Up
  5. Salesforce

​

​

32 of 36

3-Year Period

FY 2026

Silent Campaign Strategy

Personnel:

    • Assistant DOD (LAG)
    • Associate DOD (PO)

Program:

    • Science Scholars Program Launched
    • Additional Mobile Domes

Property:

    • Obtain Digistar instance for testing and training
    • New Exhibits Launch (Fall 2025)

Capacity:

    • NC SciFest growth
    • Cultivate major gifts
    • Establish Signature Event
    • Board Recruitment

Advancement:

    • $3m for FY 2026
      • $1.5 Annual
      • $1.5 Major/Princ.

33 of 36

3-Year Period

FY 2027

Personnel:

    • Student Coordinator
    • As. Prog. Director
    • Marketing Specialist
    • Gift Officer Promotion

Program:

    • Academic offerings expand
    • Operational hours increase, Free to UNC Students
    • BI Costs Decrease

Property:

    • Launch Digistar (2026-27)
    • Pavilion and Welcome Plaza

Grow Capacity

    • Signature Event Year 2
    • Principle Giving Event (ATL)
    • MSA-based gatherings.

Advancement:

    • $12m for FY 2027
      • $2m Annual
      • $10m Major/Princ.
    • $15m Running CC Total

Silent Campaign Strategy

34 of 36

3-Year Period

FY 2028

Personnel:

    • Promote PO to MGO (mid-FY28)
    • Associate Director 2 (PO) (Late FY 28)
    • Alumni Coordinator

Program:

    • Science Scholars Site 2 Launches
    • Employee Credentialing Program, First Class

Property:

    • LED Dome - FY’28/’29
    • Exhibits Master Plan adopted
    • State Dining Room Plan

Capacity:

    • Morehead Sig. Event in the hands of the board
    • Advisory Board active in new MSAs, hosting gatherings

Advancement:

    • $5m for FY 2028
      • $2.5m Annual
      • $2.5m Major/Princ.
    • $20m Running CC Total

Silent Campaign Strategy

35 of 36

Business Items

  • Old Business
  • New Business
    • Meeting Cadence
  • Other Business

36 of 36