Nick Martinez announced as CEO of Harlem Gallery of Science
The Harlem Gallery of Science (HGS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Nick Martinez as Chief Executive Officer, effective September 14, 2026. Martinez will lead the Harlem Gallery of Science as the organization enters an important period of growth, expanding its work to provide young people - particularly students from communities historically underrepresented in science and technology - with greater access to STEM education, digital technology, career exploration, mentorship, and pathways to higher education and employment.
“Nick joins the Harlem Gallery of Science at an important moment in our development,” said Stan Altman, President of Science and Arts Engagement New York. “We have demonstrated that young people respond enthusiastically when science, technology, gaming, engineering, and the arts are presented in ways that connect learning to their interests and their futures. Nick will help us build upon that foundation, strengthen our partnerships, and take HGS to its next stage of growth.”
Building Pathways from Exploration to Careers
The Harlem Gallery of Science was created to make science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts accessible and engaging for young people throughout New York City. Through exhibitions, mentoring, educational programs, gaming and digital technology initiatives, and partnerships with schools and higher-education institutions, HGS has reached more than 5,000 students, particularly students in Harlem and other underserved communities.
A major focus of HGS’s next phase will be creating stronger connections among STEAM exposure, education, workforce development, and employment opportunities. HGS works closely with The City College of New York (CCNY) and other educational and community partners to introduce students to emerging fields and help them understand the educational and career pathways available to them.
Leadership Experience Closely Aligned with HGS
Martinez’s professional background closely matches this next phase of HGS’s work. At the Museum of the City of New York, he led a 15-person Education and Engagement division, managed a $1.65 million departmental budget, and oversaw youth and family programming, public programs, civic engagement, teacher professional learning, and K-12 education.
At the American Museum of Natural History, Martinez led museum-based STEM education, workforce development, and college and career readiness initiatives and developed an education-to-career pipeline connecting students to paid internships, scientific research, mentorship, museum careers, and workforce opportunities. He also built partnerships with New York City Public Schools, CUNY, government agencies, community organizations, foundations, and nonprofit partners.
Martinez’s experience also includes grant development and stewardship. His resume identifies work on major public and private grants, including an $800,000 NASA-supported STEM project and Institute of Museum and Library Services projects.
Gaming, Museums and Community Connection
Martinez is also the curator of the Harlem Gallery of Science’s “Video Games: The Great Connector,” a 1,300-square-foot exhibition exploring how video games create connections to identity, community, skill development, and career opportunities in the gaming industry. The exhibition opened at the Harlem School of the Arts in 2024 and was presented at the Long Island Museum in the Spring of 2026. Over 7500 visited the Exhibit in these two showings.
“Too many young people grow up only a few miles from some of the world’s leading universities, technology companies, research institutions, and employers without having a meaningful opportunity to see themselves as part of those worlds,” said SAENY Chair Brian Schwartz. “Our goal is to help change that. Nick’s appointment gives us additional leadership capacity to build the partnerships necessary to move young people from exposure and curiosity to education, opportunity, and ultimately careers.”
A Natural Fit with HGS’s Emerging Priorities
Martinez’s record aligns with HGS’s strategy of connecting community-based STEM engagement with New York City’s educational and economic infrastructure. HGS intends to deepen collaborations with The City College of New York and other CUNY institutions, public schools, government agencies, cultural institutions, employers, foundations, and community organizations. His work also bridges STEM and the creative technology economy. Martinez curated Video Games: The Great Connector, an exhibition examining gaming as a means of connection, skill development, community formation, and access to career opportunities. This experience is particularly relevant as
HGS develops programming around digital gaming and other emerging technologies.
Institutional Capacity and Partnership Development
For funders and public-sector partners, Martinez also brings demonstrated experience in program design, evaluation, fundraising, grant management, and stewardship. His resume documents work with federal, state, local, and private foundation funding sources, including NASA, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Pinkerton Foundation, the Eugene M. Lang Foundation, and other philanthropic partners.
His appointment will give HGS additional executive capacity to develop sustainable programs, strengthen measurement and evaluation, cultivate public and private investment, and build the cross-sector partnerships required to move young people from early STEAM engagement into education and career pathways.
“Nick’s appointment is about both leadership and capacity,” said Stan Altman, President of Science and Arts Engagement New York. “He understands museums and informal learning, but he also understands young people, workforce development, institutional partnerships, fundraising, and the importance of connecting educational opportunities to real career pathways. Those capabilities are central to where HGS is going.”
Opportunities for Partnership
As HGS enters this next phase, the organization welcomes opportunities to work with government leaders, CCNY and other higher-education institutions, foundations, corporations, schools, cultural organizations, workforce-development providers, and community partners. Areas of collaboration include STEM and STEAM programming; digital gaming and emerging technologies; mentoring and career exposure; internships and workforce pathways; exhibitions and public programming; research and evaluation; and development of a permanent community-based hub for science, technology, innovation, and workforce opportunity.
About Nick Martinez
Nick Martinez explains his commitment to young people and Harlem, and his vision for expanding the organization’s impact:
“The Harlem Gallery of Science represents an incredible opportunity to deepen STEAM engagement in Harlem, the South Bronx, and across the city and beyond while connecting young people to the skills, experiences, and pathways that can expand what they see as possible for themselves, their families, and their communities. I’m excited to build on the strong foundation already established by HGS and to expand our exhibitions and educational programs, strengthening partnerships across the city, and exploring new ways to position the organization as a vital resource for science, arts, innovation, and opportunity.”
Nick Martinez is a museum educator and nonprofit leader with more than 15 years of experience in STEM education, youth development, public engagement, and museum leadership. He is also an adjunct professor in St. John’s University’s Museum Administration Graduate Program and holds a Master of Public Administration from Baruch College and a B.A. in Anthropology from Stony Brook University. He received the American Alliance of Museums: Nancy Hanks Rising Star Award in 2023.