The Path to Presidency
- 1/6/2025
Recently, the Jacksonville Arboretum & Botanical Gardens welcomed our newest Board President – Lindsay Starner. As Board President, Starner ensures the organization stays on track with its mission to cultivate understanding and wonder by engaging the community through the natural beauty of Northeast Florida. We took the time to ask Starner a few questions about who she was, what she saw for the future of the Arboretum, and how she got to be where she is today.
Introducing Lindsay Starner
Lindsay Starner grew up in the small town of Shorewood, IL, just outside of Chicago. She came to Jacksonville in 1994 to go to college at Jacksonville University and, after quickly growing a love for the southern hospitality that Jacksonville embodies, she decided to stay.
At JU, Starner was greatly impacted by a certain Professor Dr. Quinton White, who taught marine and environmental science classes. With “Docs” ability to get you excited over the smallest things, like plankton and diatoms, Starner grew excited to learn about the environment and how we can protect it. As well as learning from her professors, she also learned her leadership skills from the sports teams she played on. Starner’s athletic background allows her to effectively lead a team by addressing each player's strengths and weaknesses and applying each aspect for a victory.
After joining JEA as an environmental technician 25 years ago, Starner was asked to join the JABG board in September of 2018. She eagerly agreed with the excitement of growing a place reserved for the community to interact with and learn about natural resources. Full of ideas about the growth of the organization, Starner knew that this was the perfect place to create a specialized area that groups could use for recreational activities and gatherings.
As Board President, Starner says the personal values and beliefs that guide her include, “inclusiveness, respect, honesty, and humility.”
Future Envisions for the Arboretum
Some existing visions for JABG’s future include a children’s garden, a visitors and education center, an amphitheater, and more. Starner brings her own set of aspirations to the job, with the goal of maintaining and expanding partnerships with the city and the community of Jacksonville. However, growth at the Arboretum needs to be slow and sweet, Starner said. Proper growth also adheres to being mindful of conserving natural resources that make up the gardens and trails, followed by a strategic plan that has been already cultivated by the board.
With a passionate and well-fit president like Starner leading JABG, we are safe to say that the future is bright! Starner says, “I find the passion of our Board members, staff, and especially our volunteers the most rewarding. We have an awesome team. I know everyone that is a Board President probably says that, but I believe it’s true. This group is the biggest group of hard working, passionate, kind and giving people that I’ve ever met.”
Before passing the title off to Starner, Kevin Blalock served as JABG Board President for four years. His presidency marked a significant period of growth and development for the organization. He played a pivotal role in initiating the ambitious Children's Garden plan and spearheaded the progress of the Arboretum's strategic plan. Recognizing the importance of strategic direction, Blalock was also instrumental in implementing a comprehensive strategic plan that continues to guide JAGB's operations and decision-making to this day.
Furthermore, Blalock brought a much-needed level of structure to the Board. He suggested the creation of specific board roles and actively sought out individuals with the necessary skill sets to fill those positions, ensuring the Board was well-equipped to support the Arboretum's mission. Under his leadership, JAGB also experienced significant staff growth, with expanded roles and increased development opportunities.
Before Blalock, Ron Whittington served as Board President and assisted greatly in the organization’s growth through public relations and social media. He expanded existing educational programs at JABG to a new level, and was also instrumental in increasing accessibility at JABG by initiating the paving of our Lake Loop path. Additional past presidents include Lawrence Gierum, Willis Jones, Merrill Varn, Lynda Aycock, Meg Gaffney, and original founder, Judy Stevens. We are so appreciative of these pivotal figures’ influences on JABG – thank you all for your service!