Robert Grese grew up in Tennessee and studied landscape architecture at the University of Georgia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He has taught landscape architecture at the University of Michigan since 1986 and currently serves as Director of the University’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum. He is the author of Jens Jensen: Maker of Natural Parks and Gardens (1992) and has written widely on the ‘prairie style” of landscape gardening. He is a long-time advocate of ecologically-based design and the careful stewardship of cultural and natural landscapes.

Connie earned her Bachelor of Science in Horticulture at Michigan State University in 1981 and began working at Matthaei Botanical Gardens in 1987. She manages several of our native plant gardens as well as the orchid and bonsai collections. Additionally she is in charge of our native species seed propagation program. Connie is currently working toward her Master of Science in Resource Ecology Management through the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources.

Judy Dluzen has been at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens site for over 16 years, primarily focusing on the annual design and maintenance of the Perennial Garden, the Gateway Garden of New World Plants, and the Terrace Garden, as well as, the design and installation of the seasonal displays in the Conservatory. Judy’s interests lie in garden design and she places emphasis on the color composition of her gardens. She served as a docent for many years, and as a volunteer naturalist at the Audubon Nature Center.

At home, Judy has been an organic vegetable gardener at home for 30 years. She and her husband have sold vegetables at Ypsilanti Farmer's Market and have incorporated various aspects of homesteading over the years, including raising chickens for egg production, building three houses, root cellaring, keeping bees, and preserving home grown food.

David came to MBGNA in 1990 and has been engaged with the collections and their broad use in the university community ever since. He currently serves on two interdepartmental academic committees: Museum Studies Program Faculty Advisory Committee and the 2009-10 Museum Theme Year Steering Committee for the School of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He also advises students on specific projects such as PITE 398, serves on various graduate student committees, and in the new undergraduate museum minor. In addition, he manages students to create interpretation for our collections and GPS data mapping of our living collection. Both of these projects are working to create a web-based interactive plant database.

David holds a B.A with Highest Honors in Botany from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Botany from Claremont Graduate School, Claremont, California. David is the author of numerous technical reports and papers, many for agencies. He is a long-serving member and past chair of the Editorial Committee for The Public Garden. For popular audiences, David is the co-author of Taylor’s Guide to Groundcovers, and he has coauthored articles in Horticulture magazine. His own garden has appeared in several publications, and he is a popular public speaker. David has led garden-study tours in Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and North America.

Adrienne has been with Matthaei Botanical Gardens since 1982, working on many different projects and gardens. She currently maintains the Alexandra Hicks Herb Knot Garden and several other gardens at MBG, as well as managing the Peony Garden at the Arboretum. She orders and organizes the plants for the Spring Plant Sale and grows plants for seasonal displays in the Conservatory. Her areas of expertise include growing and timing plants to bloom for displays, herb gardening, peonies, annuals, bulbs and perennials. She is very knowledgeable about insects and natural history and enjoys gardening at her home in both the sun and shade.

Mike Palmer has been with Matthaei Botanical Gardens since 1990, joining the staff after he received his B.S. in Commercial Horticulture from Purdue University. At Purdue he focused his studies on woody plants and plant propagation, with emphasis on botanical nomenclature and public gardens. He was also a lab instructor for a class taught by Dr. Harrison Flint, author of Landscape Plants of Eastern North America. The class focused on woody landscape plants and their identification.

At MBGNA, Mike is the Manager of Horticulture. He supervises the day to day horticulture operations with a staff of 5 horticulturists, interns and numerous volunteers.

Jeff Plakke loves the outdoors and has worked in the field of Natural Resources for over ten years. While pursing a B.S. in Forestry at Michigan Technological University, he worked with Dr. Rolf Peterson on the Ecological Study of Wolves and Moose on Isle Royale and continues to work as an EarthWatch Research Team Guide for the this study. He also worked on Isle Royale as a backcountry Ranger and a Biological Sciences Technician conducting vegetation surveys.

After graduating from MI Tech, Jeff began working as a Conservation District Forester in Oceana and Newaygo counties of Michigan where he consulted on tree health and land management for timber and wildlife. Jeff moved to Ann Arbor several years ago and began working for the Nichols Arboretum evaluating and removing hazardous trees and managing the Rhododendron Collection. Since then, his primary focus has involved working with all aspects of MBGNA’s Natural Areas Stewardship: Prescribed Burning, Exotic Invasive Species Control, the Propagation of Native Plants as well as many other aspects of the care and promotion of these facilities.

Jeff is currently enrolled in the University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment and plans to graduate with a M.S. in Resource Ecology and Management.

T.J. began working at Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum in 2006 in an information technology administration role. Having graduated with an Information Systems Management degree from Kettering University, he comes to the team with a diverse background including IT project management, web development, and database administration and has been working professionally with non-profit organizations since 1996.

With a background in management, design and landscape architecture, Sarah was the logical candidate to spearhead the installation of some new projects at the Gardens and Arboretum, starting in 2005. Sarah has both a BFA and MLA degree from the University of Michigan, as well as a Michigan Builders License. Additionally, Sarah served as a lecturer for the School of Natural Resources and Environment for almost a decade, teaching in the landscape architecture program. At MBGNA, she especially enjoys working with the intern program, promoting sustainable solutions and the opportunities to work outdoors.

Projects that Sarah helped foster include the boardwalk in the Arboretum wetland, the Sue Reichert Discovery Trail around the MBG Willow Pond, the resurfaced Sam Graham Trees Trail and the newly opened Gaffield Children’s Garden. Come check them out!