Christofer Nelson is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC), a network of science and technology centers and museums, and allied organizations, engaging more than 110 million members of the public annually across North America and in almost 50 countries. ASTC is dedicated to the vision of increased understanding of—and engagement with—science and technology among all people.

Before coming to ASTC, Christofer served as the Assistant Director for Open Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) where he worked to help Federal agencies tap the knowledge, creativity, and ingenuity of the American people to advance scientific research, develop new technologies, improve service delivery, and solve complex challenges. Christofer has worked at the intersection of public policy and science, innovation, and technology, including at Georgetown University's Program on Science in the Public Interest, where he previously served as Program Director and as a member of the research faculty. Christofer has also served on the leadership team of the USA Science & Engineering Festival in Washington, D.C.

Christofer has worked to foster connections between communities and science at all levels. Christofer has consulted with multiple philanthropic, government, and private-sector organizations to design and deploy open innovation approaches and community-centered programs that increase public engagement in solving pressing national and global challenges, from housing to health disparities to climate change.

Christofer also has a background in management organizational operations, including leadership development and organizational design. From 2009–2011, Christofer implemented the Obama Administration's Presidential Appointee Leadership Program, designed to onboard and support Senate-confirmed appointees more effectively collaborate to advance the Administration's priorities and serve the American people. Separately, Christofer designed and facilitated leadership, strategy, and professional development programs for appointees at several Federal agencies. Christofer has also supported innovation initiatives within city and state governments both within the U.S. and globally.  Earlier in his career, Christofer worked for Business Caching & Consulting, a small firm based in the Seattle-area that provided executive coaching, team building, and strategic growth consulting to small- and mid-sized businesses.