The Computer History Museum‘s search to succeed outgoing CEO Dan’l Lewin didn’t go quite to the reaches of space, but it did go as far as NASA.

Silicon Valley’s answer to the Smithsonian announced Wednesday that its new CEO will be Marc Etkind, who served as the space agency’s associate administrator of communications from 2021 until January.

“I’m a storyteller at heart, but I’m also focused on using new technology,” Etkind, 59, whose pre-NASA career included the Science Channel and Discovery, said in an interview this week. “My job at NASA was really broad in different ways of telling stories and I hope to bring that broadness of telling stories to the museum.”

At NASA, he led a team of 400 people across 10 centers, sharing NASA’s triumphs and challenges to some 400 million followers. He also was in charge of historic preservation, launched its streaming service and revamped the agency’s website. Eileen Fagan, chair of the search committee, called Etkind a “transformative, inspirational, and thoughtful leader” to take the museum into its next stage.

“His dedication to sharing his lifelong love of science and technology, coupled with his storytelling expertise, make him the perfect leader to help CHM grow and build,” Fagan said.

Lewin, a former executive at Microsoft, stepped into the CEO role in 2018, leading the museum through the challenge of COVID-19 and expanding its online reach through the “OpenCHM program.” During his tenure, the museum brought in more than $75 million in gifts from corporations, foundations and individuals. Lewin announced his plan to retire in June, but said he would stay until his replacement was found.

Etkind, who will start in mid-April, said he’d like to keep bringing in forward-looking features like the current “Chatbots Decoded” exhibit, creating events, building up the education program and bringing in some of tech’s top thinkers, like last week’s appearance by Bill Gates. Doing that should help bring in a bigger audience to the Computer History Museum, which has a reputation as a hidden gem in the valley.

“I want to make it an ‘unhidden’ gem,” Etkind said. “How can we touch people, motivate people and inspire folks to learn about computers and important issues?”

While Etkind says he’ll continue growing the museum virtually through its online presence, he also believes there’s something special and important about having a brick-and-mortar location where visitors can experience the tech artifacts in exhibitions like the stunning “Revolution” in person — surrounded by companies like Google and Microsoft.

“I am a firm believer in physical locations. I think people want a spot, a community where they can come together around ideas and around discussions,” Etkind said. “And this museum has so many things going for it. It has a great collection that’s a million strong and a great location in the heart of Silicon Valley.”

TRIBUTE TO A PIONEER >> There was a packed house Sunday at the Alviso South Bay Yacht Club for a ceremony honoring Thomas Foon Chew, an influential Chinese American immigrant from the late 19th and early 20th centuries who owned Bayside Canning Co. in Alviso. The speakers included educator and historian Gloria Hom, Chew’s granddaughter; Alviso native Richard Santos, whose family worked for Bayside Cannery; and Grant Han, a student at BASIS High School in San Jose who has been working on a documentary about Alviso that features Chew’s story.

The celebration isn’t over, either, as the San Jose City Council next week is set to declare Feb. 24 as Thomas Foon Chew Day, commemorating the 93rd anniversary of his death in 1932.

GO ASK ALICE >> The Montalvo Service Group’s annual Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is arriving just in time for spring with a March 23 date. There are three seatings from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the scenic villa in Saratoga. The menu, catered by Party Helpers, includes everything you need for an afternoon tea — sandwiches, scones, muffins, cookies and, well, tea. Get your fanciest hat ready and head to the events tab at my.montalvoarts.org for tickets.