“I have long been a beneficiary of the beautiful public spaces and natural beauty of Cornell and environs, having grown up in the Ithaca area and spending much time on campus as an undergraduate and graduate student. Giving back through my involvement and support is a natural, and the mission of the Cornell Botanic Gardens could not resonate with me more than today in a world of rapid climate change and a huge need to learn more about our own impact and how we can change.”

About

I have spent the majority of my career raising funds and managing animal-oriented organizations, and working on behalf of the Cornell Botanic Gardens is familiar “turf”! In addition to working for the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the African Wildlife Foundation, the National Aquarium and the Washington Animal Rescue League, I have presented at numerous nonprofit fundraising conferences, including the Association of Fund Raising Professionals International and Canadian Annual Conferences, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Annual and Regional Conferences. In addition, over the last 5 years I have presented at workshops in China on fundraising, marketing, sponsorship, and management to wildlife administration and zoological leadership.

In addition to my work for the Cornell Botanic Gardens, I am the Chair of the Advancement Committee at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, a Board member of the Center for Speech and Language Disorders and the Chi Phi Educational Trust. I previously served on the Campaign Committees of Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca and the University of Maryland’s College of Education, in addition to many alumni fundraising roles for Cornell.