Giant Magellan Telescope Appoints Christine S. Oh as Vice President for Development and External Affairs
The Giant Magellan Telescope today announced the appointment of Christine S. Oh as Vice President for Development and External Affairs. Christine will lead efforts to secure new partners, enhance federal relations, and expand public engagement as the telescope advances through its next phase of construction.
“We are thrilled to welcome Christine to our leadership team,” said Robert Shelton, President of the Giant Magellan Telescope. “Her proven track record in philanthropy and government affairs will be critical as we work to build relationships with both private and government partners in the U.S. and abroad. Christine’s leadership comes at a pivotal moment as we build one of the world’s most powerful ground-based telescopes in Chile.”
Christine brings over 20 years of leadership experience in nonprofit development, federal relations, and communications. She joined the Giant Magellan Telescope in 2020, initially serving as a development consultant before taking on the role of Director of Development for the past two years. Prior to joining the project, Christine held leadership positions at Catchafire, Grameen America, and the Korean American Community Foundation, where she secured major gifts and foundation support for economic empowerment and capacity building initiatives. Her early career in federal relations included serving as a legislative aide to former U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra, now the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services – a background that will be instrumental as she strengthens the Giant Magellan’s partnerships with government stakeholders.
“It is an honor to be part of such a visionary project,” said Christine Oh. “The Giant Magellan Telescope will redefine the frontiers of astronomical discovery, and I am determined to help secure the resources needed to bring this ambitious project to life. I look forward to advancing our federal relations and public engagement strategies as we push forward through this critical construction phase.”
Christine holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California’s Sol Price School of Public Policy and a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and Associate Certified Coach (ACC).
About
The Giant Magellan Telescope is the future of space exploration from Earth. Using seven of the world’s largest mirrors, the 25.4-meter telescope will produce the most detailed images ever taken of our Universe. It will uncover the cosmic mysteries of dark matter, investigate the origins of the chemical elements, and search for signs of life on distant planets. The Giant Magellan Telescope is the work of the GMTO Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and international consortium of 14 universities and research institutions from the United States, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan. The telescope is being built in America and will be reassembled and completed in Chile by the early 2030s. The Universe Awaits at giantmagellan.org.
