LUNCHEON SPEAKERS .
Great Park Design Studio
Ken Smith, ASLA, Master Designer
Mia Lehrer, FASLA. Principal Designer

Conservancy Garden at the Great Park
Rick T. Hume, ASLA, Botanical Garden Co-Chair

Planting the Seeds
The Conservancy has continued its work to ensure that the Botanical Garden is a priority of the Great Park. As we began to explore development of the Botanical Garden, we realized the need for a smaller scale garden that would preview what is being planned within the larger Botanical Garden. This preview garden – called the Conservancy Garden – will be a model Southern California Garden within the Great Park.

Through the strong financial support of our Founding Garden Donors, we have begun a feasibility study for the Garden’s development and are partnering with the Discovery Science Center to move the project from concept to reality. The Garden is planned to be a place where students of all ages can learn about science and nature in fun and entertaining ways. Sustainable and organic garden practices, stewardship of our natural resources, environmental awareness and home gardening will all be themes within the Conservancy Garden. It promises to be world-class in design, feature beautiful horticulture, be changeable and renewable and tell the story of the future Botanical Garden.

In addition to the feasibility study, we are also relying on founding donors for subsequent phases of the Garden’s development and hope you will join us. All founders are entitled to exclusive “behind the scenes” opportunities during the design and development of the Garden. Your annual donations can accumulate into higher categories of support with each year’s donation until the Conservancy Garden’s completion. But perhaps, most gratifying, you will have an enduring and lasting legacy of your early support of a community endeavor to be enjoyed by generations to come – the Botanical Garden at the Orange County Great Park.

Click here to view Garden Donor list

The Botanical Garden Luncheon
Committee Chairs

Luncheon Co-Chairs
Lizanne Witte
Rosemary Ward

Luncheon Past Chairs
Jill Johnson-Tucker
Sandra Ayres

Reception
Keiko Sakamoto Witte
Marilyn Krahe

Garden Silent Auction
Monica Burke
Kelly Heyler

Reservations
Teddie Ray

Education
Nancy McGann
Edie Tonkon

Table Décor
Andra Broekelschen
Faye Hezar

Board of Directors

Michael D. Ray, Chair
Partner, Sanderson J. Ray Development

David Horowitz, Vice Chair
Trustee, Horowitz Trust

Marian Bergeson, Secretary
State Senator (Retired)

John Katkish, Treasurer
President, First Management Group

Robert Currie
Retired Partner, Latham & Watkins

Allan Gibson
Executive Vice President, Orange County Business Bank

Rick T. Hume ASLA
Frederick Thomas Hume
Landscape Architecture, Planning & Design

James R. Kikta
USMC, Retired

Malcolm Pirnie, Inc.
Greg MacGillivray
President, MacGillivray Freeman Films

Thomas H. Nielsen
President, The Nielsen Company

Tim Paone
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Sheila Peterson
Master Gardener

James “Walkie” Ray
Partner, Sanderson J. Ray Development

Janet M. Ray
Community Leader

Teddie L. Ray
Community Leader

John Sullivan
President, The Producing Group.Great Park


Conservancy Staff

Carol Simon, Executive Director

Jennifer Wilson. Associate Director

Peggy Goldwater-Clay, Community Outreach

Colleen Lambert, Administrative Assistant