Leadership & Staff
Powell Gardens employs a diverse staff to maintain, grow, promote and evolve the Gardens and the organizational vision and mission.
Tabitha Schmidt
CEO/President
Tabitha Schmidt joined Powell Gardens in the summer of 2016 as CEO and President. She has important goals for her work at the Gardens, including growing the organization in meaningful ways that invest in a long-term, sustainable future. She has extensive background in non-profits and educational institutions, having held such positions as the Director of Cultural Arts at the Jewish Community Center, Executive Director of the Museum of Texas Tech University, Director of the School for Continuing and Professional Studies at the Kansas City Art Institute, Associate Educator of Adult Learning/Manager of Tour Programs at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Director of Instruction/Arts Partners Coordinator at Kansas City Young Audiences and Student Activities Coordinator/Adjunct Art and Art History Faculty at Maple Woods Community College. Tabitha earned a B.A. in Art from Baker University and an M.A. in Art History from UMKC.
Susan VonGretzinger is the Executive Assistant to the President- svongretzinger@powellgardens.org
Board of Directors
Jay Longbottom – Chair
Tom Isenberg – Vice Chair/Finance Chair
Lynne Brown – Secretary / Visitor Experience Co-Chair
Tabitha Schmidt – CEO/President
Perry Atha
Gary Barnes
L. Clay Barton
Corey Casey
Kevin Childress – Co-Chair, Finance
Kristopher Dabner
Courtney Earnest – Chair, Board Development
Amy Eckhoff – Chair, Visitor Experience
Wes Fehsenfeld
George Guastello – Co-Chair, Board Development
James (Jim) Houx
Mark Killen
Tom Lovell – Co-Chair, Facilities & Grounds
Mark McCasland – Co-Chair, Facilities & Grounds
Anne Riker Powell – Chair, Fund Development
Nick Powell – Powell Family Foundation
Tim Schaffer
Susan Mertz, Director of Horticulture
Core Gardens
Travis Freeman, Lead Horticulturist, Core Gardens
David Breedlove, Senior Gardener
Iris Connolly, Senior Gardener, Core Gardens
Matt Hockaday, Horticulturist, Aquatics Collection, Core Gardens
Evan Mills, Gardener, Core Gardens
McKenna Bowman, Gardener, Core Gardens & Plant Register
Education Garden
Eric Perette, Lead Horticulturist, Education Garden
Heartland Harvest Garden
Haley Drake, Lead Horticulturist, Heartland Harvest Garden
Eric Wagner, Gardener, Heartland Harvest Garden
Kauffman Gardens
Duane Hoover, Lead Horticulturist, Kauffman Memorial Garden
Bryan Boccard, Senior Gardener, Kauffman Memorial Garden
Production Greenhouse
Donna Covell, Lead Horticulturist, Production Greenhouse
Katie Smith, Gardener, Production Greenhouse
Natural Resources
Gabe Perry, Horticulturist, Grounds & Natural Resources
Visitor Center
Brent Tucker, Lead Horticulturist, Collections Curator & Visitor Center Display Beds
Cassie Callahan, Gardener, Collections & Visitor Display Beds
Jennifer Baker, Curator of Exhibitions
Mark Sharp, Coordinator, Education Programs
Cassie Stair, Volunteer Coordinator
Molly Maddox, Director of Development & Communications
Hali Mieser, Coordinator, Development Events
Erin Parish, Manager, Membership
Louise Forster, Manager, Marketing & Communications
Laina Gunsallus, Marketing Coordinator
Manuel Rios, Manager, Visitor Experience
Dina Brumitt, Custodial Assistant
Dale Dolash, Custodial Supervisor
Ron Gartman, Custodial Assistant
Wayne Nevils, Special Events Assistant
Roland Thibault, Visitor Services Representative
Dave Wilson, Maintenance Assistant
Mark DeBrot, Electrician
Troy Young, Supervisor, Maintenance
Tyler Young, Maintenance Assistant
Paula Cornwell, Chief Operations Officer
Dan Robeson, Interim Manager of Property & Facilities
Hannah Kloster, Rentals & Special Events