Longwood Gardens Selects Five Fellows for Prestigious 2023-2024 Leadership Program 

KENNETT SQUARE, PA–Longwood Gardens welcomes five talented horticulture professionals selected for its prestigious Longwood Gardens Fellows Program, continuing a legacy of developing global leaders in horticulture that began in 1957. After a rigorous selection process, the Fellows chosen are Nathan Anderson (Winona, Minn.), Edem Kojo Doe (Accra, Ghana), Muluken Nega Kebede (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia), Abigail Lorenz (Chicago, Ill.), and Colin Skelly (Cornwall, England). They will begin their studies at Longwood in May. For information on the Fellows Program, visit longwoodgardens.org/longwood-fellows.

“After an extensive review process, we are thrilled to invite a strong cohort of five outstanding professionals,” said Fellows Program Director Sharon Thompsonowak “Representing a wide array of institutions and roles, each brings a unique perspective and valuable experiences that will serve them well in the program as they further broaden their expertise and leadership skills in preparation to serve public horticulture in high-impact positions in the future.”

During the 13-month, fully funded, cohort-based residency at Longwood, Fellows delve into topical issues relevant to public horticulture today such as leadership, organizational behavior, board relations and governance, communications, and other relevant business-related content. A two-month field placement provides a deeper understanding of these issues, equipping Fellows to lead organizations into a vibrant and sustainable future. Alumni of the Fellows Program join the prestigious Society of Fellows, a global network of public garden professionals.

The aim of the Fellows Program is to develop leaders within the public horticulture industry. Candidates from diverse backgrounds and locations apply to be part of the program. The ideal candidate has 5 years of relevant experience and wants to serve—or is serving—in a leadership role. Individuals transitioning into horticulture from other sectors are also encouraged to apply. Nominations for the cohort program are open year-round and can be submitted via the online nomination form here: https://longwoodgardens.org/education/longwood-fellows-program/fellows-nominate

Interested applicants may apply between June 1 – July 31, 2023. An informative webinar with more information about the program featuring a current fellow is available online. 

For more information about the program and the application process, visit longwoodgardens.org/fellows.

The Fellows
Nathan Anderson is the Landscape Arboretum Director at Winona State University in Minnesota. He focuses on translating the Arboretum’s mission of campus sustainability into practice, facilitating collaboration between facilities and academia, and promoting the stories of the Driftless Area’s unique geography within the Mississippi River valley. Anderson applies 25 years practicing landscape architecture to his current position, concentrating on native plant communities and sustainable land use practices. His design career has realized numerous award-winning landscapes and includes 12 years leading his own studio. He received his master’s of landscape architecture and bachelor of environmental design degrees from the University of Minnesota, and maintains licensure as a Minnesota Landscape Architect (PLA).

Edem Kojo Doe is an award-winning horticulturist with a background in environmental sustainability from Accra, Ghana. He is the Head of the Parks and Gardens Unit, Office of the President, Republic of Ghana, where Doe leads a 70-person team to design, maintain, and sustain the environment. He is also committed to public service projects and is the Zonal Secretary of the South-Eastern Zone of Ghana Institute of Horticulturists. Doe holds a BSc in Environmental Health and Sanitation from the University of Education, Winneba, where Doe was part of the Kufuor Scholars Program. He is also an Alumnus of the School of Horticulture, Aburi Botanic Gardens. 

Muluken Nega Kebede is a Founder and Managing Partner of ZANA Landscape Design and Construction Company, a pioneering professional landscaping company in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, since 2015. At ZANA, Kebede has worked as a lead landscaper, lead horticulturist, project manager, marketing and sales manager, in addition to being the CEO and growing the company while successfully doubling the revenue every year. He is also a co-founder and board chair of LEM KETEMA, Menged Le SEW, and several other environmental and social initiatives that help to engage and facilitate community empowerment and positive environmental impact. Kebede completed a business and entrepreneurship track at University of Nevada Reno in 2016 as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. 

Abigail (Abby) Lorenz joins the Fellows Program from Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Illinois, as the Manager of Plant Records and Horticulture Programs, where she has focused on developing and maintaining the plant records database, educational programs, garden interpretation, and plant collections development. Her work led the zoo to Level II Arboretum accreditation in 2019 and a national accreditation for their herbaceous perennial hibiscus collection in 2020. Abby received her bachelor's degree in Horticulture from Virginia Tech and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her love of creating spaces for wildlife stems from growing up on Maryland's Eastern Shore where she worked as a landscape designer focusing on shoreline restoration and residential design utilizing native plants.

Colin Skelly joins the 2023-24 Fellows cohort from Cornwall, England. He is currently a horticulturist and consultant working at Eagle’s Nest, the garden of the artist Patrick Heron, and with Pollinator Pathmaker, a garden artwork project by the artist Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg. Previous roles include Horticultural Development Manager at the Eden Project, Nursery Manager of a succulent specialist, and horticulturist on the tidal island of St. Michael’s Mount. He attained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture (MHort) award in 2022 and has a particular interest in the intersection of horticulture with art and ecology, disrupting plant blindness and more than human perspectives. Before he discovered his passion for horticulture he gained a BA, MA, and PhD in history.

About Longwood Gardens 
Longwood Gardens is one of the great gardens of the world, encompassing 1,083 acres of gardens, woodlands, meadows, fountains, a 10,010-pipe Aeolian organ, and grand Conservatory. Longwood continues the mission set forth by founder Pierre S. du Pont to inspire people through excellence in garden design, horticulture, education, and the arts. Longwood’s foremost influence on American horticulture has been through its Education programs, in keeping with Mr. du Pont’s desire to establish “a school where students and others may receive instruction in the arts of horticulture and floriculture.” Since 1958, thousands of students from all over the world have participated in one or more of Longwood’s intensive programs, ranging from School & Youth Programs which educates 45,000 students both online and in person each year, to the two-year Professional Gardener Program to the Fellows Program. Graduates have gone on to leadership roles in many of the country’s top horticultural institutions. For more information, visit longwoodgardens.org.