Leadership & Staff

Powell Gardens employs a diverse staff to maintain, grow, promote and evolve the Gardens and the organizational vision and mission.

Chief Executive Officer

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

Corey Casey

Kristopher Dabner

Courtney Earnest – Chair, Board Development

Amy Eckhoff – Chair, Visitor Experience & Education

Wes Fehsenfeld

George Guastello

James (Jim) Houx

Mark Killen – Chair, Marketing

Tom Lovell

Mark McCasland

Ann Mesle

Anne Riker Powell – Chair, Fund Development

Nick Powell – Powell Family Foundation

Tim Schaffer

Horticulture

Susan Mertz, Director of Horticulture

Core Gardens
Travis Freeman, Lead Horticulturist, Core Gardens
Iris Connolly, Senior Gardener, Core Gardens
Julie Copley, Senior Gardener
Matt Hockaday, Horticulturist, Aquatics Collection, Core Gardens
Marissa Adams, Gardener
Evan Mills, Gardener

Children’s Garden
Eric Perrette, Lead Horticulturist, Children’s Garden
Casey McNeel, Gardener

Heartland Harvest Garden
Haley Drake, Lead Horticulturist, Heartland Harvest Garden
Anna Ball, Gardener

Kauffman Gardens
Duane Hoover, Lead Horticulturist, Kauffman Memorial Garden
Bryan Boccard, Senior Gardener, Kauffman Memorial Garden
Lori Arri, Gardener, Kauffman Memorial Garden

Natural Resources
Dave Chastain, Senior Gardener

Production Greenhouse
Donna Covell, Lead Horticulturist, Production Greenhouse
Katie Smith, Senior Gardener, Production Greenhouse

Visitor Center
Brent Tucker, Lead Horticulturist, Collections Curator & Visitor Center Display Beds
Cassie Callahan, Gardener, Collections & Visitor Display Beds

Development & Communications