Elizabeth Lunney, Interim Executive Director
As the leaves turn, change is afoot at the Arboretum Foundation.
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Lunney as Interim Executive Director of the Arboretum Foundation. Outgoing Executive Director Jane Stonecipher will assume the well-earned mantle of Director Emerita.
Elizabeth comes to the Arboretum Foundation with more than thirty years of executive leadership and management experience in the nonprofit and conservation sectors. She brings expertise in organizational development, human resources, finance, and board development. She’s thrilled to be settling in among the tended gardens and towering trees of the Arboretum.
Elizabeth’s time at the Arboretum will focus on supporting the Foundation as it looks to evolve its partnership with the University of Washington. We have an opportunity to reimagine the connections between these two entities, which have a shared history and a shared mission to connect people and plants. The Foundation is excited to build an even stronger community around the Arboretum’s collections and to introduce new people to the remarkable diversity of plants nurtured in these spaces.
As we look at ways the Arboretum Foundation and the UW can be stronger together, we envision more active programming, more welcoming spaces, more transportation options, and more interpretation and wayfinding. There are so many opportunities to draw people into the Arboretum, connecting plants and people—and the entire city—in ways that celebrate and support one of Seattle’s greatest treasures.
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jane for laying so much of the foundation for this success. She leaves an organization that is stronger and wiser, thanks to her careful attention to local relationships and her commitment to enhancing the beauty and quality of the Arboretum’s collections.
We are also grateful for the continued support of our community, our partners, and our supporters. Together, we are growing towards an exciting future.
~ Maribeth O’Connor, Arboretum Foundation Board President (boardpresident@arboretumfoundation.org)
