President & CEO
Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science

gthomas@frostscience.org
(305) 646-4223

Gillian Thomas has been with the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science since early 2003 as President and CEO. During her tenure with the Museum, the Miami-Dade County Building Better Communities General Obligation Bonds were approved by voters, awarding $175 million towards the construction of the new Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science in downtown’s Museum Park. Under Gillian’s leadership, ground was broken on the new project in 2012 and more than $99 million has been raised in pledges to support it. The new Museum is slated to open in 2016.Before working at the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, Gillian was the CEO of @Bristol, where she led the team in developing the award-winning $150 million waterfront Millennium project in the UK, which opened in 2000. With a science center, an environmental center, planetarium, IMAX, art installations and public space, this project revitalized the downtown heart of Bristol and has had a substantial economic impact on the surrounding area. Gillian was awarded a “Grant of the Dignity of an Ordinary Officer of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire” (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth in January 2000 for her work on @Bristol.

Prior to @Bristol, Gillian was the Director of Eureka! The Museum for Children in Halifax, UK. She developed its educational concept and led its design, development and construction. This won the UK “Visitor Attraction of the Year” award. As Assistant Director at the National Museum of Science and Industry in London, she was responsible for new building projects and created a series of galleries.

Gillian received a Bachelors degree in Chemistry from Oxford University, followed by a Masters in Science Education from London University. She has also acted as an international consultant on science center and museum projects for trusts, foundations and governments.