Carers in Public Horticulture
Career Category:
Public Garden Administration
Position Title:
Assistant Director
Position Summary
- Oversees operations of diverse departments, manages special projects, supervises staff members, and supports the Executive Director
- This position often requires a graduate degree and 5 years of experience
- Other abilities: excellent leadership, business, and communication skills
2006 Salary Range: $38,000 to $136,698
Career Profiles of Assistant Directors
Mary Burke
Title
Director of Planning and Collections, UC Davis Arboretum
Job Responsibilities
- Strategic and long range planning; fund development
- Long-term major collection directions / emphasis
- Technology and innovation (Geographic Information Sytems, etc.)
Educational Background
- M.S. in Botany
- B.S. in Botany
- Certified Fund Raising Executive (in progress); various training certificates for varied technologies and software systems
Practical Experience
- 25 years in botanical gardens: plant records data entry-> museum preparator-> Curator (Senior Museum Scientist)-> current position, technically "Analyst IV" at University of California
- Field botanist for The National Parks Service, The Nature Conservancy, United States Forest Service, and others; herbarium botanist
- Full time gardener (6 years) at display and production garden
Favorite Part of the Job
"Sharing my passion for plants at a welcoming place that serves as a unique interface between science and art, that celebrates the beauty and wonder of the natural world; extraordinary fun of working with a lively high-performance staff team and university faculty; opportunities to meet and work with wonderful professional volunteers; field trips!"
Advice
"This field is best suited for people who have interests that cross multiple arenas- it's research science, education, facilities management, business operations, event management, and a social network... that all collide together. You'll either love it or wonder what you've gotten yourself into."
Why is Public Horticulture a Good Career Choice?
"Great people in the field, appreciative visitors, interesting problems and people every day. Great for people who like lots of opportunity, change, and variety in a single career. Monetary retun is not always great, but it can be a wonderful place to have "a life well lived," if you like people, gardens, nature, and science."
Other Information
Because of the structure and unique projects at The UC Davis Arboretum, the Garden essentially has two Assistant Director positions. The official Assistant Director, Carmia Feldman, is in charge of operations at the Arboretum. Mary Burke, the Director of Collections and Planning, acts as an Assistant Director for the GATEWays (Gardens, Art, and the Environment) Project, and is responsible for future collections planning and other major initiatives.
Gary Schwetz
Title
Director of Programs, Delaware Center for Horticulture
Job Responsibilities
- Provide support, guidance, and personnel administration for Tree Program and Public Landscapes Managers, and Assistant Greening Director
- Design, maintain, and implement criteria and policy to guide the selection of community greening initiatives with the assistance of greening program staff
- Promote DCH and its programs by developing contacts with CBO's, local agencies, government and municipal agencies; maintain relations and build rapport with agency administrators, community leaders, and elected officials.
Educational Background
- M.S. in Public Horticulture Administration, University of DE
- Certificate in Ornamental Horticulture, Longwood Gardens
- B.S. in Agricultural Engineering, University of Wisconsin
Practical Experience
- Director of Programs, Delaware Center for Horticulture
- Designer / Estimator, Tucci Landscape Contractors
- Design Engineer, Sperry New Holland
Favorite / Least Favorite Part of the Job
- Favorite: Making a case and convincing members of the public, particularly decision makers, of the value of green infrastructure, particularly trees
- Least Favorite: Being turned down for a project because of lack of understanding
Other Thoughts / Advice
It was a long search, but I have found a fulfilling way to pass my hours and be compensated for it to boot.
Jennifer Ward Souder
Title
Director of Capital Projects / Assistant Director, Queens Botanical Garden
Job Responsibilities
- Lead the planning, design, and construction for the Garden's 39 acre site and facilities, including exhibits and interpretation
- Manage Horticulture, Research, Security, Capital Projects, and Maintenance Projects
- Assistant Director
Educational Background
- LEED Accredited Professional
- MLA (Master of Landscape Architecture), University of Michigan
- B.S. in Natural Resources, University of Michigan
Practical Experience
- Design Trust for Public Space
- Elizabeth Kennedy Landscape Architects
- Claire Weisz Architects
Favorite / Least Favorite Part of the Job
- Favorite: Opportunity to see projects through from planning through operations and work to keep projects focused on the vision, mission, and goals of the Garden
- Least Favorite: Managing personalities