Our Team

Kathleen Bodenlos, Executive Director, has over 20 years of executive management and strategic development experience for corporations and non-profit organizations. She is passionate about the role museums play in creating curious thinking and sparking the joy of learning.

In her current role, Kathleen provides strategic direction and is responsible for the success of the museum’s mission as well as overseeing finance, exhibits, education, marketing, operations and philanthropy. Prior to moving to Utah to join the Discovery Gateway team, Kathleen served on the executive management teams of both Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Museum Center. Before working in the museum field, she worked in executive leadership roles for corporations primarily in the medical device industry. She earned a BA from Thomas Edison University and is passionate about hiking, art and travel.

Laura Cotter, Senior Manager of Outreach Education, has a strong background in chemistry, biology, and math. She graduated in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in professional chemistry from the University of Utah. She worked as a research assistant for Dr. Matthew Sigman at the U of U and Dr. Eileen Kennedy at the University of Georgia. She worked at a compounding pharmacy for seven years where she found diverse ways to apply her knowledge. Beyond practical applications, Laura has tutored in math and sciences from elementary to college levels. Laura cares deeply about encouraging children, especially young girls, to become interested in the sciences from an early age. Her position allows her to help science become more accessible for children of all backgrounds and abilities.

Cristi Meyer, Development Manager, has over three years of experience in the non-profit sector and is responsible for fundraising contributed revenue for Discovery Gateway by writing grants, cultivating donor relationships and working on different fundraising campaigns and events. She has a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Integrated Communications and a minor in Business Administration from Colorado State University-Pueblo. Prior to working at the museum, she worked at the University of Oregon at Early Childhood CARES, an agency that provides early intervention and early childhood special education services where she worked in purchasing and contracting, accounting and project management.

Teri Hogan is the Floor Operations Manager and has been at Discovery Gateway since 2015. She runs the daily operations on the museum floor, ensuring the museum is fully staffed and functioning. Teri is always finding innovative ways to make sure families are having fun while being safe in the museum. She has over fifteen years of customer service experience, twelve of those years in management. In her spare time, she teaches English to children and has a TESOL certification. Teri obtained her bachelor’s in science from the University of Texas at Austin.