Interests

• Plants & human well-being
• Education at public gardens, especially collegiate gardens
• Climate change education
• Using gardens to positively impact youth development
• Public garden leadership

About

I am the director of education and academic initiatives for Cornell Botanic Gardens. I am also an adjunct associate professor of Horticulture in the School of Integrated Plant Sciences.

I am an educator who works with plants, nature, and gardens to help people foster a deeper connection to plants. I am interested in the conservation of nature and using education, for learners of all ages, as a way to protect nature. I provide leadership for and deliver education, communications, and visitor services programs for Cornell Botanic Gardens.  I teach classes on public garden management, plants and human well-being, education in public gardens, and lead a Masters of Professional Studies program in Public Garden Leadership. I work with faculty and botanic gardens staff on our Climate Change Garden, which demonstrates the effects of climate change on plants.

I have directed the education and visitor services programs at botanic gardens since 2002. Prior to coming to Cornell, I worked with Walt Disney World, the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival, and the University of Florida on a statewide school gardening initiative.  I worked as the statewide Master Gardener Coordinator for Florida and Mississippi and was an Assistant Professor at Mississippi State University. My masters and doctoral research projects focused on the impacts school gardens have on positive youth development.