Advisory Board
Shipley Allinson
Landscape Designer, ‘80 UD Alum, Plant & Soil Sciences
Dr. Susan Barton
Associate Professor, UD Cooperative Extension Specialist, ’81 UD Alum
Valann Budischak
Interim UDBG Director, Volunteer & Education Coordinator
Dr. Erik Ervin, Chair
Plant & Soil Sciences
Dr. John Frett
Retired UDBG Director, sabbatical 7/01/19-6/30/20
Caroline Golt
Past UDBG Friends President, retired UD Research Associate, ’69 & ’07 UD Alum
Mike Loftus
Associate Director, UD Facilities/Grounds
Carol Long
Assistant Curator of Winterthur Gardens, ’90 UD Alum, Plant & Soil Sciences
Dr. Robert Lyons
UDBG Board President, Retired UD Professor, Plant & Soil Sciences
Jenny McDermott
Manager of Facility & Farm, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Dan Sarkissian
Development Director, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources
Dr. Greg Shriver
UD Associate Professor, Entomology & Wildlife Ecology Department
Anna Wik
Assistant Professor of Landscape Design
Staff
*part-time
Andrew Adams
Horticulture Manager
Andrew Adams is a recent UD graduate with a BS in Plant and Soil Sciences and Agriculture and Natural Resources and a minor in Landscape Horticulture and Design. He worked at UDBG as an intern in the summer and fall of 2016 and collected urban forestry data for Dr. Tara Trammell in the summer of 2015. Andrew has eight years of experience working for his father’s landscaping business.(302) 831-0909
Valann Budischak
Interim Director/Volunteer & Education Coordinator*
Valann Budischak is the Volunteer and Education Coordinator at the UDBG. She also wears two other professional hats: As the Executive Director of the Delaware & Nursery Landscape Assoc. and as a UD Extension Agent. Previously, Valann worked for 14 years for Black & Decker in New York and Philadelphia, first as a Sales Representative and then as Regional Account Manager. She has worked in numerous professional capacities as project administrator for Delaware Livable Lawns, Plants for a Livable Delaware and Enhancing Delaware Highways. She also serves on the board of the Urban Community Forestry Council, the Governor’s Water Supply Coordinating Council, and Bright Spot Ventures.(302) 831-4188
Melinda Zoehrer
Program Coordinator*
At UDBG, Melinda manages its membership and donor program, website development, special events, maintenance of the Herbaceous Garden and Lepidoptera Trail, and garden interpretation. She earned a BS in Environmental & Systematic Biology in California and MS in Public Horticulture Management from the Longwood Graduate Program. She has worked and volunteered in public horticulture for over 34 years. Melinda holds certificates in Fundraising for Nonprofits from the University of Washington in Seattle, Museum Management from the Museum Studies Program from the University of Delaware, and Leadership Development from Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement.(302) 831-0153