Board of Directors
Don Smith
Chair
Don’s parents inspired him to garden and this helped feed him through his educational years. Throughout his career as a general surgeon, Don continued to learn and grow. After retiring, he became a master gardener and volunteered with the Mower County Extension in Austin, MN. Becoming a master gardener opened many opportunities to volunteer with community organizations including the Mower County Fairgrounds, Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Spruce Up Austin, Austin Public Library Seed Program and the Cedar River Farmers Market. A member of the hort society, Don also participates in both of our community outreach programs.
Jill Rulli
Vice Chair
A political campaign junkie, Jill quickly rose from volunteer to campaign manager, working on two presidential campaigns and four U.S. Senate campaigns. She served as Statewide Campaign Manager twice, was Adjunct Professor at George Washington University and has advised a variety RNC Victory, Capitol Hill and global non-profit organizations. She currently devotes her time to her small businesses and international travel, and volunteers her time as a master gardener, member of the Board of Visitors at the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs, her alma mater and is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce. She lives in Lake Elmo, MN with husband Lino and their many houseplants.
Paul Markwardt
Treasurer
An Iowa farm boy turned tax lawyer, Paul learned to garden beside his parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles. His main goal as a board member? To support MSHS in continuing to expand valuable services to a broader community, from lifelong gardeners to anyone just starting out. Paul’s current garden includes perennials, vegetables and a small orchard (which the wildlife, especially pileated woodpeckers and blue jays, are successfully harvesting).
Renay Leone
Secretary
An MSHS member for 20+ years, Renay loves connecting with gardeners. She grew up gardening with her mom and grandma and remembers them taking her swimming in a nearby lake after weeding the vegetable garden on hot summer days. “Not everyone was as fortunate as I was to grow up with an appreciation for and grounding in gardening,” Renay says. She believes everyone should have the opportunity to learn about plants and growing. After considering a career as a concert pianist, she chose to go into real estate law, nonprofit work and government land management. When she’s not working, Renay enjoys quilting, weeding and walking in nature.
Gail Hudson
A multiple Emmy® award- winning storyteller, Gail is a writer, photographer and video producer with a Master’s degree in horticulture from the University of MN. She writes about and photographs gardens for Northern Gardener® magazine and Greenhouse Grower magazine. She’s also a professional garden speaker, garden coach and landscape designer. The owner of Gail Hudson Media, a video production and communications company, she works with many clients, including the University of MN Extension’s team of horticulture educators. Gail lives in Minneapolis with her husband David. She coordinates her church’s community garden, volunteers at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and loves to grow perennials, vegetables, spring bulbs and water garden plants.
Neil Imsdahl
A graduate from the University of Minnesota, with a Bachelor of Environmental Design and Planning., Neil has an extensive background in the horticultural industry, with experience in sales, maintenance, urban planning, landscape design. interior plantscaping and nursery production. He is currently the Manager of Sargent’s Nursery and Garden Center on 2nd Ave in Rochester, Minnesota. He gardens and manages buckthorn (!) on a 2-acre property north of Rochester, MN.
Judy McManus
Growing up on a farm in southern MN, Judy experienced the joys of gardening at a young age and grew to understand the importance of stewardship of the land. This background has carried forward in her adult life and is manifested in her love of gardening and concern for the environment. An MSHS member for 25+ years, she’s also a member of the Garden Club of Ramsey County and the St. Paul Garden Club. She earned a degree in art at the College of St. Benedict and pursued a career in advertising, marketing and design. Now retired, she has more time to enjoy her passion for gardening.
Dr. Mary Meyer
Mary manages the Grass Collection at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and was a professor in Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota for many years where she got her PhD studying grasses. She gardens in Plymouth, MN on a shady 1/3 acre plot and likes to grow vegetables in community gardens and try out local Community Supported Agriculture with local farmers. Although she loves grasses, Magnolia grandiflora and Ginkgo biloba are two of her favorite plants.
Randy Nelson
Randy is Assistant Professor of Agronomy at University of Minnesota Crookston (UMC). Prior to joining UMC, he was an Extension Educator with the University of Minnesota serving Clay County for almost 16 years. He also serves on the board of directors for American Rose Trials for Sustainability and Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society. Randy enjoys spending time with family and gardening.
Lisa Philander
A dedicated Horticultural Curator at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, Lisa spearheads initiatives to showcase a diverse array of plant species, promote conservation efforts and actively engage the community in the importance of plant biodiversity. With a strong background in botanical conservation and education, she previously served as the Director and Curator of the College of Biological Sciences Conservatory at the University of Minnesota.
Lisa believes in the power of plants to connect people to different parts of the world. Her work has fostered a deep appreciation for rare and unusual plants, and she is dedicated to instilling a love for plants in others while enriching our collective understanding of the natural world.
Steve Poppe
A horticulture scientist at West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, MN, Steve has extensive experience growing, trialing and taking data on a wide variety of horticultural crops and ornamentals. He also coordinates management of large public display gardens (Prairie Garden, Children’s Garden) and numerous horticulture educational events. He was on the board and a member of the MN Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and a member of North American Strawberry Growers Association. Steve has received numerous awards, including the award of excellence for exemplary education from All-America Selections.
Robin Trott
Robin started gardening by her father’s side at a very young age. These early experiences nurtured a passion for gardening throughout her life. Robin has gardened across the US, in PA, MD, VA, NC, LA and MN. Since 2009, she has been a University of Minnesota Extension Educator/Horticulture, in Douglas County, while building a cut flower business with her husband, Doug. Her experience growing everything from ageratum to zucchini gives her an interesting perspective on gardening problems and solutions, and her passion for supporting gardeners across the state will make her an effective member of the MSHS Board.