New England Wild Flower Society has named Courtney Allen Director of Public Programs. Founded in 1900, the Society is the nation’s oldest plant conservation organization and a recognized leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education.
In her role, Courtney oversees a department offering approximately 200 programs per year throughout New England, ranging from courses, workshops, field trips and programs in botany, plant conservation, ecological horticulture and gardening, to tours, certificate programs, online courses and webinar offerings. She also supervises 70 volunteer Garden guides and paid teacher-naturalists who lead tours for students and adults at Garden in the Woods, the Society’s headquarters and botanic garden.
“We are delighted Courtney has joined our staff at New England Wild Flower Society, where she will be instrumental in building exciting new opportunities for education and engagement throughout the region,” commented Debbi Edelstein, Executive Director of the Society. “Courtney’s vision, deep experience in interpretation and programming, passion for engaging learners at all levels and building partnerships will enable us to share our expertise in New England’s native plants with many more audiences.”
Courtney’s work experience includes roles at The Huntington, Grounds For Sculpture, Fallingwater, Independence National Historical Park, The Woodlands National Historic Landmark, Grey Towers National Historic Site of the US Forest Service and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her publications include articles in Legacy, the magazine of the National Association for Interpretation and in PAST, the journal of The International Society for Landscape, Place, and Material Culture. She is a contributor for the third edition of the definitive text, Museums in Motion: An Introduction to the History and Functions of Museums. She has also designed and implemented interpretation for numerous landscapes.
She noted: “I am pleased to join this stellar team and bring my expertise in landscape and museum interpretation and education back to the northeast. New England Wild Flower Society drew me with its wide impact, integrity, and commitment to native plant conservation. I look forward to building on a strong foundation of regional programming and partnerships, and to taking our learning standards to new levels.”
Ms. Allen holds an MS in Historic Landscape Preservation from the University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Landscape Studies from Smith College.
About New England Wild Flower Society
New England Wild Flower Society is dedicated to conserving and promoting the region’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes. Founded in 1900, the Society is the nation’s oldest plant conservation organization and a recognized leader in native plant conservation, horticulture, and education. The Society’s headquarters, Garden in the Woods, is a renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts, that attracts visitors from all over the world. From this base, 25 staff and many of our 1,200 trained volunteers work throughout New England each year to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and preserve seeds to ensure biological diversity, detect and control invasive species, conduct research, and offer a range of educational programs. The Society also operates a native plant nursery at Nasami Farm in western Massachusetts and has six sanctuaries in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont that are open to the public. www.newenglandwild.org
###
