AT THE GARDEN — Senior staff

Patsy Benveniste serves as the Chicago Botanic Garden’s vice president of education and community programs. In this capacity, she oversees the Center for Teaching and Learning, the Regenstein School, and the departments of community gardening and horticultural therapy, which collectively serve more than 80,000 adults, students, youth, teachers, community residents, and human service agency clients each year. As part of the Garden’s commitment to serve the education, training, and wellness needs of Cook County residents in the  communities where they live, Ms. Benveniste develops strategic program resources for Green Youth Farm, a youth leadership program operating in four locations; and Windy City Harvest, a multi-site urban horticulture and jobs training certificate program in Chicago. She also serves as Garden liaison on a variety of other community and national initiatives, including the development of an urban agriculture economy in Chicago and expanded school gardening.

Ms. Benveniste is a regular presenter at American Public Garden Association conferences, has authored book chapters and articles on youth development and garden-based education, and was a presenter at the 2006 Bioneers conference. Before joining the Garden in 2000, Ms. Benveniste served as director of education at Lincoln Park Zoo (1995-2000). Prior to that, she was the director of corporate and foundation giving (1990-1995).