• Mara Manus is departing as CEO of Pioneer Works after successfully completing key fundraising and infrastructure goals.
• Gabriel Florenz, a founding artistic director, will take on an expanded role as executive director.
• The leadership transition occurs after Pioneer Works completed a $12 million renovation and a $30 million capital campaign.

Mara Manus is leaving her role as CEO of Pioneer Works, a Brooklyn-based arts and science non-profit, after joining in 2023. Gabriel Florenz, a founding artistic director, will move into an expanded role as executive director. This transition follows the completion of the third phase of a $30 million capital campaign and a $12 million renovation to enhance accessibility and expand programming. The changes reflect a shift towards an artist-scientist-led organizational model.

• What: Mara Manus is stepping down as CEO of Pioneer Works, and Gabriel Florenz is taking on an expanded role as executive director.
• Who: Mara Manus, Gabriel Florenz, Dustin Yellin, Janna Levin, Stephanie Hemshrot, Laurie Cumbo, Becca Keating
• When: Manus joined in September 2023 and announced her departure in March 2025. Florenz's new role took effect in March. The $12 million renovation was completed a month before Manus's exit.
• Where: Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, New York

The departure of Mara Manus and the ascension of Gabriel Florenz mark a strategic shift at Pioneer Works towards reinforcing its artist-scientist-led identity. Manus's tenure focused on establishing a robust infrastructure and achieving fundraising goals, setting the stage for Florenz to expand his role in fundraising and donor development. The completion of the capital campaign and renovations underscores the organization's commitment to growth and accessibility. The high-profile nature of Manus's initial hiring, as noted by the New York Times coverage, highlights the significance of this transition.

The plan was for Mara to come in build the infrastructure and finish the campaign. We don’t want to be a single-point institution. We like collectivity; we want to be an artist-scientist-led organization. She helped us get through a lot of intense institutional frameworks that we built in a short amount of time.

This new leadership chapter speaks to the DNA of Pioneer Works, responding to a divided world and bringing siloed systems of knowledge together to make art and science accessible to everyone.

The leadership transition at Pioneer Works signifies a move towards reinforcing its core values of collectivity and interdisciplinary collaboration. Mara Manus's contributions in infrastructure development and fundraising have paved the way for Gabriel Florenz to lead the organization with a renewed focus on its artist-scientist-led mission. With completed renovations and a successful capital campaign, Pioneer Works is poised to continue its growth and expand its programming for the community.