We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Cate Tinker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Cate below.

Cate , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

After eight years in nonprofit leadership, I faced a choice: stay comfortable or take on the challenge of rebuilding a distressed children’s museum. The Above and Beyond Children’s Museum in Sheboygan had been hit hard – closed for a year during the pandemic, damaged by flooding, and in need of fresh direction. I saw the potential to create something meaningful for my community, but it meant leaving behind a job I loved and knew well.

The risk felt enormous: trading certainty and established passion for the unknown possibility of making a bigger impact. I asked myself the hard questions about what truly mattered to me—growth, community connection, meaningful work. In the end, I took the leap. Could I recreate that sense of purpose and fulfillment at Above and Beyond? The answer turned out to be a resounding yes.

Together with the Above and Beyond Children’s Museum board of directors, I have strengthened staff culture, opened innovative exhibits, stabilized finances, built philanthropic relationships, launched educational programs, and revitalized our community’s passion for play—all guided by our mission to “foster exploration, imagination, and joy through immersive play.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Both of my parents were teachers, and I grew up knowing I wanted to teach. When faced with the decision to enter classroom teaching or find an alternate path, I became interested in how museums, non-profits, and libraries shape learning. After completing a master’s in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program, I moved to Sheboygan, Wisconsin and worked in education roles at a contemporary art museum and botanic garden before becoming Executive Director at Above and Beyond Children’s Museum.

Above and Beyond Children’s Museum is a non-profit with a vision that “children and families find meaningful connection through play.” Through 10,000 square feet of interactive exhibits, educational programming, and community collaborations, we serve over 55,000 learners annually. What sets me apart is my commitment to building diverse teams and creating accessible experiences. I’m most proud of the incredible staff I’ve built – from backgrounds in business, teaching, disability advocacy, and art – who have helped transform our building and programming.

In the last year, we’ve strengthened our commitment to access through our Play for All initiative. Currently, 30-35% of families receive financial assistance through Museums for All. This fall, we’re expanding hours for working families, adding ADA accessible parking, and launching programs focused on parent mental health and families with children with disabilities. Our “why” is clear: play is imperative at all ages, and we’re creating a more child-friendly community. When we center equity, innovation, and community connection, we don’t just run a museum – we help shape the next generation.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My role as the Executive Director at Above and Beyond requires me to pivot almost daily. I’m running a non-profit business, reviewing finances, fundraising, forming community partnerships, assessing safety concerns, cleaning up messes (literally and figuratively), strategizing with board members, welcoming field trips, filling in at the front desk, planning exhibits, and attempting to stay both hydrated and caffeinated!

What keeps me grounded is returning to our mission and my values. Does this serve the community? Does this support my staff? Am I weighing innovation against potential consequences? I take deep breaths throughout my day and build in time for pause.

This approach was tested during my first year when I needed to raise funds for our historic building’s rooftop HVAC unit. Funder after funder wasn’t interested because it didn’t feel “mission impact” or “flashy” enough. I pivoted! If our mission includes a safe place to play for families, we need the heat on – even in negative 20-degree Wisconsin temps – to make that happen. I reframed the conversations around impact, and the funding came through. This reinforced that effective pivoting isn’t just changing tactics; it’s finding the deeper connection between what you need and why it matters to the people you serve.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Before I took on my current role at the children’s museum, I was told that pivoting to administration and fundraising from educational programming in the non-profit sector wasn’t going to be the right fit for me. That I didn’t have the necessary experience. I was even told that it would be hard for me to balance being a mother and a fundraiser (“how will you attend the parties and events needed to make the contacts? Aren’t you considering staying at home?”). And for a short period of time, I believed what I was told.

What I’ve had to unlearn is the belief that fundraising requires a specific professional background and that being a mother would somehow be a liability. What I’ve grown to learn is that being an educator at heart – and a mother – is my greatest superpower. I connect with our donors, I live in their community, and I see them at events, classes, and gatherings. We have developed trust with each other, and in turn, when there is an opportunity for impact through giving at Above and Beyond Children’s Museum, the trust gets me the sit down and the museum’s mission and impact does the heavy lifting.

My approach to donor engagement has been slowly growing over my years in the community, but putting it to action this year at the museum has opened up a passion I didn’t know I had! My network of support continues to grow as our mission continues to thrive, and for that I am incredibly grateful. I had to unlearn other people’s narrow definition of what makes a successful fundraiser and discover my own authentic, effective approach.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.abkids.org
• Instagram: aboveandbeyondsheb
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/AboveBeyondSheboygan
• Linkedin: https://linkedin.come/in/cate-tinker-43652849

Image Credits

John Schenk