Steve Windhager
Executive Director, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden & Native Plant Advocate!
- Role
- Executive Director at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
- Location
- Santa Barbara, CA, US
- LinkedIn followers
- 500 followers
About Steve Windhager
Steve’s passion for wild things began as a child exploring the outdoors. Years as a boy…
Experience
Executive Director
Nov 2010 — Present · Santa Barbara, CA, US
Steve took over the operation of the nation\'s oldest Botanic Garden dedicated exclusively to Native Plants at a low point, after having a 10+ year battle over development plans, a wildfire burned more than 70% of the grounds, and then had a volunteer strike. Finances were troubled, with significant and unsustainable annual losses. By focusing on rebuilding community relationships, investing in displays at the Garden, and building a regional powerhouse conservation program, the Garden has nearly tripled in size (both in terms of staff, membership, and budget) and regained its place in environmental leadership in our community. By building diverse revenue streams (admissions, contracted consulting services, retail, membership and philanthropy), the organization now has stable financial footing as it continues to become a more impactful organization dedicated to sustaining California\'s biodiversity in the face of climate change, invasive species and continued pressure from development.
Education
Drucker School of Management
Getty Leadership Institute, Museum Leadership
2014 — 2014
University of North Texas
Ph.D, Environmental Science
1994 — 1999
Texas A&M University
BA, Philosophy
1988 — 1992
University of North Texas
MA, Environmental Ethics
1992 — 1994
Skills
- Fundraising
- Sustainable Design
- Board Development
- Land Use Planning
- Sustainability
- Community Outreach
- Landscape Design
- Environmental Science
- Public Speaking
- Landscaping
- Sustainable Landscapes
- Green Roofs
- Nonprofits
- Sustainable Development
- Workshop Facilitation
- Large Group Facilitation
- Native Plants
- Project Management
- Conservation Issues
- Natural Resource Management
- Ecological Restoration
- Program Development
- Non-Profits
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