Lucia Burrafato feels at home around art. She was born in New Jersey, spent her tweens and teens bopping around Pennsylvania, went to college in Queens, returned to New Jersey, moved back into the city, then finally took one long trip from Manhattan to San Diego. Through it all, she drew, painted, and captured life around her.  Burrafato brought her artistic eye and myriad talents to Salk in October of 2025. She serves as one of the Institute’s gift officers, communicating the importance of Salk science to help build relationships with new donors. One uniquely Burrafato dimension to her role is Salk’s new Discovery Society, an exclusive donor community she founded and continues to lead.  But before stepping onto Salk’s iconic midcentury campus, Burrafato took an impassioned path through art school and museum galleries. As the latest addition to Salk’s Advancement team, she embodies the fusion of science and art that Jonas Salk held so dear.  From fine art to fresh start  Pursuing her lifelong interest in the arts, Burrafato earned a bachelor’s degree in fine and studio arts from St. John’s University.  “One of my dreams was to work in a museum—I just didn’t know in what capacity,” says…