Michael G. Gibbs, Ed.D., is vice president for advancement, director of the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach, and an assistant professor in the School of Business and Information Sciences at Capitol College. Before joining Capitol, Gibbs served as the chief advancement officer for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific located in San Francisco and held various leadership positions at universities such as vice president for development at Saint Mary s University of Minnesota in Winona, Minnesota, and assistant vice president for University Initiatives at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois.
Gibbs is the lead editor and contributing author for Science Educators Under the Stars: Amateur Astronomers Engaged in Education and Public Outreach, the first comprehensive book regarding the amateur astronomer s role in communicating knowledge and passion about astronomy to the public. He is also coeditor of Galileo s Classroom: A Teacher Workshop in Celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009, an online resource from the Science and Mathematics Teaching Center at the University of Wyoming. Additionally, Gibbs coauthored several journal and magazine articles on the topics of professional development for in-service teachers, integrating technology into the K-12 classroom, and astronomy and space science education and public outreach. He has delivered lectures both nationally and internationally in countries such as Ireland and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Gibbs received his undergraduate degree in political science, a master of science in public service management, and a doctoral degree in education administration from DePaul University. He also holds a certificate in fundraising management from the Fundraising School at Indiana University, a management certificate from DePaul University, and a certificate in interactive and direct marketing from the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing and DePaul University. Gibbs is a member of the board of trustees of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the National Hispanic Institute located outside Austin, Texas and the Planetary Science Institute headquartered in Tucson, Arizona.
Helen G. Barker, D.M., is an educator, trainer, and consultant in the areas of management and organization, personnel and human resources, quantitative analysis, and operations management. Barker spent 15 years working in the private sector as a management analyst and resource training specialist in the distribution industry in the Washington, D.C. area. She spent five years as a research assistant with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) working in the field of child welfare. In addition, she worked with the Northern Virginia Regional Partnership through Virginia Tech doing economic development analysis. Currently, she is Dean of Business and Information Sciences at Capitol College where she has worked for eight years.
Barker received her undergraduate degree in business management from Thomas A. Edison State University, a master s degree in business management from Strayer University, and a doctoral degree in management concentrating in organizational leadership from the University of Phoenix. She has completed additional doctoral work in the area of public administration and policy with Virginia Tech. Her areas of research include distance education, educational technologies and privatization of child welfare.
