About Us

SKILLS SUMMARY

Senior-level professional with entrepreneurial and managerial skills in the horticultural and non-profit fields. Skills include fund-raising and donor cultivation, grant writing, zoological and botanical design, environmental consulting, and budgeting. Experienced in developing and implementing large-scale exhibits and programs, including the marketing and educational outreach components. Has acted as spokesperson and liaison, in building extensive industry and community relations. Known for being a sub-tropical and tropical plant expert with the ability to identify thousands of species of rare plants, as well proficient in diagnosing and treating plant deficiencies and pests utilizing integrated pest management and environmentally sensitive plant care strategies.

EXPERIENCE

Consultant, Ecobotanic Designs, Inc. 2008 - Present
www.ecobotanicdesigns.com
• Musha Cay, Bahamas - Providing botanical design assistance to David Copperfield in the enhancement of his Musha Cay resort, including the design of immersive wildlife exhibits and specialty gardens.
• Gardens by the Bay, Singapore - Providing plant brokering assistance in identifying and organizing shipment of specimens for a billion dollar botanical project.
• Cleveland Botanical Garden, Ohio - Providing plant brokering services in identifying and organizing shipment of botanical specimens for Garden’s enhancement projects.
• Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, North Carolina - Assisted in design of their Children Gardens’ Butterfly Stroll.
• Galton Residence, Florida - Designed and oversaw installation of specialty succulent garden.
• Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Florida - Created tree relocation plan as well as assisted in adult programming and educational interpretation development.

Director of Horticulture, Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida 2002-2008 www.naplesgarden.org
• Managed horticultural aspects of botanical garden while working closely with community leaders, land planners, landscape architects, architects, engineers, contractors, consultants and educators to conceptualize and create master planning based on mission of connecting people and plants.
• Responsible for all horticultural operations (including a nursery, tree farm operation, small conservatory, two acres of themed gardens, a butterfly and bird enclosure, and one hundred acre nature preserve).
• Oversaw concept process, design, and plant selection for Tropical Mosaic Garden, Pollination Pavilion (Butterfly House), Oasis and Fruit & Spice Garden, Perimeter Garden, Cycad and Palm Garden, Native Garden, wetland littoral plantings and Upland trail.
• Initiated the Garden’s Green team and built a strong Integrated Pest Management Program eliminating the need for pesticide applications, and instead instituting natural alternatives to reduce synthetic fertilizer and herbicide/pesticide use.
• Created concepts, wrote grants, and produced numerous rotating exhibits including Dinosaurs, Big Bugs, Beauty and the Beasts, Rain Forest Treasures, Amazing Amazon, Wings of Brazil, and Pollination Pavilion (Butterfly House).

Director of Magic Wings Butterfly House and Aventis Insectarium, North Carolina Museum of Life & Science, Durham, North Carolina 1998-2002 www.ncmls.org
• Managed, as Director, a 18,000 sq. foot complex featuring an insectarium, screened native butterfly enclosure, and 5,000 sq. ft. glass conservatory.
• Oversaw the complete design, selection, and installation of hundreds of rare tropical specimens, including important economic flora such as pharmaceutical, spice and fruit plants.
• Obtained permits and collected numerous tropical flora and fauna specimens personally on location from other countries to add to the collection.
• Formed and initiated an Environmental Committee, aka Museum Green Team
• Organized and hosted first, and subsequent annual, Carolina Butterfly Society symposiums.
• Created a butterfly identification guide for the institution, as well as other educational materials that continue in use today.

Tropical Horticulturist, Climatron Conservatory at the Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri 1996-1998 www.mobot.org
• Responsible for horticultural and zoological care of the 23,000 sq. foot tropical Climatron conservatory at the world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden. Attributed as well for ethno-botanical garden, economical and epiphytic enhancement projects incorporated into the existing design.
• Designed and created live animal exhibits in the Brookings Interpretive Education Center.
• Assisted in the Integrated Pest management plan for the conservatories.
• Expanded overall plant collections through donations within the plant industry and other botanical gardens.
• Co-lead collecting expedition to Belize with Smithsonian Institute to collected live invertebrates and plants specimens for institution.

- Specialty Garden and Conservatory Design
- Subtropical and Tropical Flora - Including Natives
- Personal Horticultural Consultation
- Greenscaping and Xeriscaping
- Specimen Procurement and Plant Brokering
- Integrated Pest Management
- Exhibits and Interpretative Design