Director of Science

Dr. Burcher completed his Doctorate in Nuclear Physics in 2019 and went on to work as a postdoctoral research scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. He has since moved back to Cape May and Dr. Sean Burcher currently works at Cellular Tracking Technologies (CTT) as an embedded software developer. He works to develop state-of-the-art telemetry devices for wildlife with a focus on tracking marine animals.

Director of Climate

Lara Croushore is an expert in the field—she developed climate policy for New York City as Chief Strategy Officer in the Mayor’s Office; she served as Managing Director of an ocean-climate policy think tank called Urban Ocean Lab; and is currently Head of Climate at SecondMuse, a global impact and innovation company. Lara has a BA in Environmental Science from Boston University, and MPA in Environmental Policy from Columbia University. 

Director of Arts

Daniel Magariel is the author of One of the Boys and Walk the Darkness Down. His novels have been widely reviewed and translated into a dozen languages. He has a BA in History from Columbia University and an MFA from Syracuse. He is the founder of Convent Art Fellowship, a fully funded writers retreat held at the CMPASC. He teaches at Columbia University.

Marine Science Advisor

Melissa Laurino serves as the Research Director and a USCG 100-ton Master Captain with the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center. She is a graduate from Stockton University with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Marine Biology and Data Science and Analytics. She studies our local Cape May populations of marine mammals and curates our Bottlenose Dolphin and Humpback Whale catalogs using photo-identification.

President

Bob wears many hats, from President of the Arts and Science Center to founder of the Harriet Tubman Museum and owner of the Cape May National Golf Course, the Chalfonte Hotel, and Dormer House. Bob rescued the historic building that is now the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center from demolition in 2021. Bob is passionate about conserving Cape May’s rich natural and cultural histories.

Acting Executive Director

Dr. Marilyn Murphy, is the former Director of the Center on Innovations in Learning at Temple University. She also served as Director of the Institute for Schools and Society, the research branch of the Temple University College of Education. She received her doctorate from Temple University in Education, Curriculum and Technology.

Director of Production and Facilities Management

David is a graduate of Full Sail University with expertise in Recording Arts, Acoustic Science, and Live Event Production. With over 25 years of experience supporting the National Geographic Society and performance venues in Washington, D.C., he eventually returned to his family home in Cape May. There, he volunteered during the inaugural year of the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center and has continued to support it since. Additionally, he operates a community radio station in the historic Franklin Street School. David is passionate about community outreach, the fusion of art and science, and spreading the mission of the Cape May Point Arts and Science Center to the world.

Administrative Coordinator

Natalie is a University of Delaware graduate, where she earned a degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Ecoscience and a minor in Wildlife Conservation.

Gardening and Groundskeepers

Katie and Mark Bliss are the head gardeners at the Center, having recently retired from Blissful Gardening, their garden design and maintenance business based in Northern New Jersey. Katie has addressed Garden Clubs and Master Gardeners throughout the Northeast as well as taught courses at the Rutgers Home Gardeners School. After a career on Wall Street, Mark joined Blissful Gardening in 2012, enabling him to focus on construction and handiwork services. They are past recipients of the Jefferson Award for Public Service in recognition of their volunteer efforts at Greenwood Gardens located in Short Hills, New Jersey. Katie grew up vacationing in Cape May, and both Katie and Mark have worked in Cape May on and off for many years.