Mary Blockberger, President

Mary is the owner of Double Dog Landscaping, specializing in residential landscape maintenance on the Sunshine Coast. She was previously Vice-President of Broadway Printers Limited in Vancouver, and is a Past President and current Secretary Treasurer of Secret Cove Resort Limited. Mary has worked in the retail sector, both on the Sunshine Coast and in Vancouver. Her past volunteer experience includes working with the United Way of the Lower Mainland, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, and the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project.

Mary chairs the Human Resources and Board Development Committees.  She also serves on the Capital Campaign Committee, Design Committee and the Grow the Garden Gala Committee.

Paddy Wales, Vice-President

Paddy Wales is a respected and widely-published garden photographer, author, lecturer and teacher. She has visited and photographed many international and botanical gardens.

She is a passionate botanical garden volunteer, chairing the Education Committee, serving on the Events Committee, Capital Campaign Committee, Design Committee, Grow the Garden Gala Committee; writing press releases, photo-documenting the events and progress of the Society; teaching workshops, coordinating docents, and working at sales and publicity events. She comes from a background of elementary school teaching and volunteering at VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Heather Gordon, Treasurer

Heather Gordon has over 25 years experience in Non Profit management with a variety of community organizations in the areas of program development, delivery and supervision; grant acquisitions; financial and project management. When Heather grows into a retiree she promises to spend more time with plants and less time with numbers.

Claudia Redfern, Secretary

Claudia's 30 year career includes ownership in a chain of 4 furniture stores(Quebec and New York City), a print and electronic gift catalogue, and a web development and internet marketing company. As a consultant she's provided services to the tourism, retail, wholesale, manufacturing, and non-profit sectors. In 2005 she completed a Masters of Arts in Applied Communication with a focus on public relations and digital marketing.

Arthur Geike

Arthur is a management consultant and president of Presidents Network. He has an executive-level background in the utility, mining, cement, electronics and consumer product industries. He also has extensive general management experience specializing in start-up and business success strategies, and organization design and human resources issues. Arthur is founder and president of the Canadian electrical utility's energy conservation company PowerSmart, and was president of Powertech Labs, BC Hydro's applied research and technology laboratories.

Amanda Offers

Amanda is a founding member of the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society. She has taken computing science courses at Simon Fraser University, with an emphasis on linguistics and logic. Her background as a software tester has proved invaluable in managing the Society’s current website. In addition to her work with the Society, Amanda also volunteers as a community advocate, specializing in disability work. She has also held the position of Treasurer of the Alpine Garden Club of BC for over 15 years.

Harry Graat

Harry has been in construction, land development and property management as owner and consultant for over 30 yrs in southwestern Ontario. He is a former real estate broker, flower shop retailer, pilot and avid outdoorsman. Harry also has been a director of the Optimist Club, served on the advisory board of the Gibsons and Area Community Centre. Harry was the first hi-rise condo builder in London, Ontario, and was the first to promote and install a ground water source heating and cooling system in a residential/commercial hi-rise development in London.

John Gillespie

John Gillespie is a board-certified master arborist and journeyman horticulturist with a passion for sustainable design and development. He has over two decades experience in the public and private sectors, most recently as Vice President, Wakefield Homes. John has now launched his own practice – Landwise Consultants – offering sustainable development strategies and progressive landscape design to the broader community. He serves as Director of the Sunshine Coast Botanical Garden Society and Coast Community Builders Association, and Chair, Sechelt Official Community Plan (OCP) Committee.

John serves on the Design Committee, Project Management Committee, and liases with District of Sechelt and the SCRD.

Lynne Bogardus

Former teacher and volunteer manager, Lynne has extensive experience on volunteer boards. On the Coast she served as founding president of the Halfmoon Bay Citizens' Association, chairs the Halfmoon Bay Advisory Planning Commission for the SCRD and is a Director of the Sechelt Garden Club. Early in 2009 she chaired the Botanical Society's inaugural Grow the Garden Gala.

Tracy Wiseman

Tracy is an ardent vegetable gardener and passionate community volunteer. Before moving to the Sunshine Coast, she worked as an executive and leader in the Information Technology and Telecommunications industry for over 30 years. Tracy currently provides business consulting services to the private and non profit sectors. Tracy has been volunteering with the Society over the last year. In addition to her work with the society, Tracy serves as board chair of the Sunshine Coast Community Resource Centre.

Tracy is the 2010 chair of the SCBGS Harvest festival.

Committees

Fundraising Committee: Lynne Bogardus
Finance Committee: Heather Gordon
Social Enterprise PlanningCommittee:
Capital Campaign Co-Chair: Wendy McDonald
Capital Campaign Co-Chair: Blane Hagedorn
Educational Committee: Paddy Wales
Site Development Committee: Mary Blockberger
Membership and Volunteers: Amanda Offers
Human Resources: Mary Blockberger
Board Development: Mary Blockberger
Programs and Events Committee: Paddy Wales and Verity Goodier
Publicity, Marketing and Communications: Claudia Redfern
Publications Sub-committee: Amanda Offers
Newsletter Editor: Esther Palivoda
Volunteer Co-ordination: Pat McDowel
Webmaster: Amanda Offers
Past Webmaster (2003 to 2007): Harry Hill