Jim Cinelli, founder of the Reading Science Center, is an Environmental Engineer and the president of Liberty Environmental, Inc., an environmental consulting firm he co-founded in 2004. The company has 30 employees and is headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, with branch offices in Lancaster, Philadelphia, and New York City. Its clients include local, regional, and international companies, including banks, real estate developers, oil and gas companies, and manufacturing firms.

With more than 30 years of experience in environmental consulting, Jim has lectured at numerous state and national conventions. In 2018, he founded the nonprofit Reading Science Center, a science museum that opened in downtown Reading in October 2020. Since the organization’s inception, Jim served as president of the Board for six years, and at the conclusion of his term was named Founder Emeritus in recognition of his leadership and vision. As a past president of the Reading Chapter of the Pennsylvania Society of Professional Engineers, Jim also helped spearhead the Berks County MATHCOUNTS Competition for middle school students for several years.

Jim served as Chairman of the Board of the Reading Downtown Improvement District Authority, an organization whose mission was to make downtown Reading a safe, clean, and vibrant urban core. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in five states, a Licensed Professional Geologist in New York, and a Board-Certified Environmental Engineer. Jim holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University, a Master of Engineering degree in Environmental Engineering from Penn State University, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Saint Joseph’s University.