Education — Community Gardening

Angela Mason
Director, Community Gardening and Green Youth Farm
Phone: (847) 835-8254
Contact:

Angela Mason, director of community gardening, has been instrumental in the success of the Green Youth Farm program since its inception in the spring of 2003. In her more than five years at the Chicago Botanic Garden, she has nurtured the program's growth from one farm and 13 students to more than 45 students at three sites, and she also helped found the Garden's Windy City Harvest urban agriculture training program. Angela graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, with a B.S. in plant and soil science, and an M.S. in plant, soil, and general agriculture.

Eliza Fournier
Manager, Community Gardening
Phone: (847) 835-8352
Contact:

Eliza Fournier, manager of school and community gardening, has served in the school and community gardening department at the Chicago Botanic Garden for eight years. In that time, she has helped more than 200 communities and schools plan and implement gardens in their neighborhoods. She currently manages the North Lawndale Green Youth Farm program, teaching teenagers how to grow organic produce on three urban farms. Eliza earned her bachelor's degree in environmental studies from Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, IL, and her master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University, where she concentrated in urban management. Lately, she has been seen presenting a variety of gardening topics during regular appearances on Chicago Tonight.

Heidi Wiegandt
Coordinator, North Chicago Green Youth Farm
Phone: (847) 835-6904
Contact:

Heidi Wiegandt, coordinator of North Chicago Green Youth Farm, served as growing assistant in 2008. She came to the Chicago Botanic Garden from Seattle Youth Garden Works, and her background is in youth and environmental education. Heidi graduated from Central Michigan University in 2005 with a B.A. in environmental studies and outdoor recreation.

Samantha Creightney
Coordinator, North Lawndale Green Youth Farm
Phone: (847) 650-7317
Contact:

Samantha Creightney, coordinator of North Lawndale Green Youth Farm, comes to the Chicago Botanic Garden with significant experience working with teens and adults in landscaping and urban gardening practices. She served as growing assistant for North Lawndale's Green Youth Farm in 2008. Samantha has a background in the culinary arts, studying at Johnson and Whales in Florida as well as the Culinary Institute of Chicago. She graduated from green job training with Green Corps, and is very active in her community, volunteering for the Austin Green Team.