When retiring Executive Director Brian Holley was asked by Tom McCann, the President of the Naples Botanical Garden Board of Directors, what he would like as a gift to commemorate his tenure, he gave what to some was a surprising answer. To those who know his commitment to NBG as a museum of living plants, it made perfect sense. He asked that the first endowed position at the Garden become the Brian Holley Curator of Collections. Liz Chehayl, our former President (2009-2011), is the first person to hold the endowed title.
The Curator of Collections ensures the integrity of the Garden’s living plant collections by developing and curating the collections, establishing and implementing plans and policies for the collections and confirming that the plants are correctly identified and recorded by following exemplary collections management protocols.
The Curator shares botanical and horticultural knowledge about the collections with members, donors, staff and the public by making information about the collections readily accessible; supporting research, education and engagement with the Garden’s collections; and communicating through articles in internal and external publications, classes and speaking engagements.