Jill is a landscape architect with almost 30 years of experience in the Central Virginia area. After several years on the Garden’s Board of Directors, Jill retired her private practice and became the Executive Director and chief cheerleader for the Botanical Garden. She is actively working to make the Garden site more welcoming and accessible now and inviting public input into the features and programming of the future Garden to ensure it is the best it can be to serve the entire community.

Jill holds a Master’s Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Virginia. Projects she has worked on include the five original gardens at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond, the Thomas Jefferson Parkway in Charlottesville, and the Poplar Forest entrance road and trails in Forest Virginia.

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Cathy holds a Master of Education in Environment-Based Learning from Mary Baldwin University and a Master of Teaching and a B.A. in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. She has 25 years of experience and volunteer engagement in churches, schools, and nonprofits. A native of the Charlottesville-Albemarle area, Cathy is thrilled to work on a project that brings all members of the community together in a place of beauty and inspiration, right in the heart of her hometown. She loves the high learning curve that comes with being an advanced-beginner gardener.

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Whitney grew up in the Midwest tending potted plant gardens in the summer, but exploring the woods behind her house in all seasons. She loves wildlife, their natural habitats, and constant learning, including taking a found skull from the woods to her local zoo to learn its origin at seven years old (a red fox). A nonprofit professional in public libraries since 2015, Whitney worked in the Bay area before moving to Charlottesville, where she promptly fell in love with the local environment, community, and wildlife. Whitney once again lives among the trees and affectionately watches over her neighborhood’s band of “hoofigans” (deer.) Whitney began work at the Botanical Garden in late 2021 and enjoys bringing her experience in education, research, and outreach to the organization.

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Bruce is a former classroom teacher with a special affinity for fostering connections. In his work at the Ivy Creek Foundation and the Virginia Museum of Natural History, Bruce created and led programs to connect children to nature.  At Ivy Creek, he established training programs to educate volunteer guides to continue these interactive programs. Bruce’s interest in discovering more ways to connect with visitors inspired him to become a Certified Interpretive Guide and Trainer for the National Association of Interpretation as well as a Toastmaster.  Bruce’s innate passion for learning and the environment makes him a natural connector of young minds and the wonders that nature has to offer.

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