Garden Happenings and News

The board of directors of Leach Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the selection and employment of Renee Myers as our next Executive Director, starting March 11, 2025.

For over twenty-eight years, Renee has worked in conservation and environmental stewardship in various leadership roles. From December 2014 to June 2023, she served as the Executive Director of Forest Park Conservancy, a nonprofit organization that supports and cares for the largest forested urban park in the United States.

Renee has experience building and leading diverse teams and fostering collaborative partnerships with BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) and other community organizations. Her time at Forest Park Conservancy provided opportunities to build lasting relationships with regional parks and natural areas managers and colleagues at Portland Parks & Recreation, the City bureau who owns and partners with Leach Garden Friends to operate and fund the Garden.
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“I am excited to hit the ground running as a member of the LBG team and work alongside local communities and partners to expand and diversify the garden’s reach to serve a greater number of communities and people throughout the region. Leach Botanical Garden is a unique gem that provides a myriad of benefits that have endless opportunities. Taking a break as an executive director for the past two years allowed me the time and opportunity to gain fresh perspectives and insights, along with a renewed passion that will be value-added as I take on this new leadership role. It’s the perfect job at the perfect time and I am honored to be part of the amazing team that has helped transform the garden into an invaluable community asset for SE Portland.”
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Renee succeeds Ben Shockey who has admirably led the Garden through nearly three years of capacity building - employing and nurturing staff, leading the development and adoption of a 3-year strategic framework to guide the Garden, and overseeing the restoration of Leach Garden's historic Manor House and soon-to-be installed replacement footbridge across Johnson Creek reconnecting the Stone Cabin and several acres of riparian wetlands to the main Garden.