Are you ready to transform your passive membership into an active leadership experience? Serving as a volunteer leader in an APGA Professional Community is one way to build your network, shape industry discourse, and gain leadership experience. —and it often takes less time than you think.

This Lunch & Learn brings together a panel of current and past Community leaders to share their personal stories and demonstrate the tangible benefits of their involvement. In this session, you will:

  • Hear about the various roles available, from serving on a Community leadership team to serving on Symposia Planning Committees.
  • Learn how leading a Community moves you beyond simple peer networking and gives you direct connections with institutional directors and influential subject-matter experts.
  • Understand how Community leaders directly influence the Association’s professional development offerings and the industry’s best practices.

Join us to hear inspiring, real-world examples of how community service unlocked the next level of professional success.

Facilitator: Jeanette Henderson, Community Coordinator, American Public Gardens Association

Panelists:

  • Drake Fowler, Executive Director, The North Carolina Arboretum (Finance & Operations Community)
  • Jill Lazatin, Office Assistant Manager, Denver Botanic Gardens (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Accessibility (IDEA) Community)

Cost: Free for Members; $15 for Non-Members.

This event is hosted via Zoom with closed captioning and will be recorded for later access in the Library/Media Center approximately one week following the event. Attendees are strictly prohibited from using personal AI notetaking tools or other unauthorized recording devices. Please note that this event is governed by the Association’s Code of Professional Ethics and Anti-Harassment Policy, ensuring a harassment-free environment for all participants. For complete details on conduct, recording, and all professional development policies, please review the full statements or contact info@publicgardens.org for questions.

The statements and opinions expressed by panelists, hosts, attendees, or other participants of this event are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of, nor are endorsed by, the American Public Gardens Association.