Jane Stonecipher (center), with UW colleagues Dr. Dan Brown and Dr. Christina Owen.
For 90 years, the Washington Park Arboretum has told the story of a green city that connects people with plants.
In 2024, we have been celebrating the Arboretum’s Strong Roots and Bright Future. Every high-performing organization owes a good measure of its success to effective leadership, and the Arboretum Foundation is no exception to that rule. Under the leadership of the Foundation’s Executive Director, Jane Stonecipher, the past seven years have been a time of incredible accomplishment. The assets and annual fundraising of the Foundation have increased by three-fold, and the results are apparent on the grounds of the Arboretum and in the community programming that we all enjoy.
During Jane’s tenure, we have funded the restoration of Rhododendron Glen, the Tsutakawa Gates, and the Japanese Garden Pond and meadow, and initiated planning on several exciting Master Plan projects that will improve accessibility and augment programming possibilities. Critically, we have also built strong relationships with our institutional and governmental partners while expanding outreach to our local Tribal partners and the broader community.
Significant to the future of the Arboretum is the upcoming reclamation of 28 acres of property adjacent to the north end of the park: a rich array of wetlands, shoreline, and uplands that will be turned over by the State of Washington following the completion of the SR-520 bridge project. Since the Arboretum’s founding in 1934, no change to the park will have a greater impact and promise for generations to come.
Inspired by this tremendous opportunity, our organization also needs to transform. We have been exploring consolidating the operations of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens with those of the Arboretum Foundation under a single non-profit banner. The potential for how we can better serve the community is truly inspiring.
We are now building our leadership capacity to better facilitate this organizational transformation. We are pleased to announce that, at the end of October, Jane will assume the role of Director Emerita and External Affairs Advisor to help finalize our new structure and explore other strategic opportunities. An Interim Executive Director will oversee the ongoing operations in the Arboretum and the Seattle Japanese Garden. The final details of this arrangement—as well as an event to fully celebrate Jane’s leadership and accomplishments—will be announced in September.
In Jane’s words, “The opportunity to steward iconic public spaces is a special privilege. My time with our staff, volunteers, and supporters in this green oasis will certainly be one of my greatest treasures. I am thrilled to begin working with and on behalf of you in my new External Affairs capacity as we find new ways to bring together people and plants in the heart of Seattle.”
Thank you for being active participants in our work, and for supporting us during this time of leadership transition, organizational transformation, and ongoing stewardship of this unique green space and plant collection.
~ Maribeth O’Connor, Arboretum Foundation Board President (boardpresident@arboretumfoundation.org)
