Expert Chance A. Sanford, Ed.D.

Guest Experience Director, Space Center Houston
Manned Space Flight Education Foundation

Chance A. Sanford’s 15 year career includes senior leadership roles in education program development, volunteer management, fundraising and strategic planning. Sanford leads the nonprofit Space Center Houston’s guest experience program, providing exceptional customer service for more than 1.25 million guests who visit the center annually.

He manages all area of the center’s guest operations including guest services, attractions, shows and its tours that tell the exciting future or human space exploration and its historic achvievements.
Sanford ensures a world class experience for Space Center Houston guests in support of its mission to inspire all generations through the wonders of exploration.

Previously, Sanford was executive director for the nonprofit Hunt with Heart. He oversaw the volunteer-led organization, consolidated resources, procured office space and worked with its board of directors to develop a strategic vision and plan to grow the organization over the next five years.

He served as vice president of education at the Houston Zoo where he developed high quality education programs, created a learning framework by which all programs were evaluated for guest satisfaction and oversaw its volunteer programs.

As education and conservation manager for Sea World San Antonio, he grew a residential camp program from modest returns to over a million dollars in revenue annually. He improved safety procedures and protocols. He managed overnight programming bringing total revenue from educational programs to over $3 million.

Sanford earned his Doctorate of Education in professional leadership at the University of Houston, a Master of Education in curriculum and instruction at Concordia University in Houston, and a Bachelor of Science in marine biology at Texas A&M University.