The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) is proud to announce the appointment of two new leaders for the research, education, and outreach programs of the University of Washington Botanic Gardens (UWBG). The UWBG includes the programs and facilities of the Center for Urban Horticulture and the Washington Park Arboretum, the latter of which is in partnership with City of Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Arboretum Foundation. Dr. Christina Owen has been named the Director of UWBG, starting September 13, and SEFS Professor Dr. Josh Lawler is the new Faculty Director of UWBG. 

Owen will provide overall leadership for the programs, facilities, and staff of the UWBG. She will also take the lead on strengthening the organizational and community partnerships that are so central to the work of the organization. She comes to UWBG and SEFS with a love for all things plants and extensive experience bridging science management, communication, and public engagement. She previously served as a Program Officer with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. There she developed and managed grants in research and development, with a focus on leveraging discovery science and innovation for smallholder farmers in low-income countries. Her work focused on addressing pest and disease threats to crop production.

She is also the co-founder of the Working Parents and Caregivers Employee Resource Group and is passionate about supporting working caregivers in their complex roles as both employees and care providers. Her new position as Director marks her return to the University of Washington where she earned her Ph.D. Degree in Evolutionary Genetics of Flowering Plants. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, cycling and baking. She lives in West Seattle with her husband, two children, speckled dog and two Siberian Forest cats. 

Lawler has been a Professor in SEFS since 2007, specializing in climate change impacts, conservation science, landscape ecology, nature-human interactions and wildlife science. He has led the Center for Creative Conservation and is currently director of the university’s Nature and Health Initiative, a program of Earthlab. His appointment as faculty director includes appointment as the Orin and Althea Soest Chair in Urban Horticulture, and his work will focus on supporting, sustaining, and advancing the academic research and teaching programs of the organization in partnership with Owen.  

“We’re thrilled to welcome Drs. Owen and Lawler, with their rich experience and dedication to building partnerships and programs that advance our collective understanding of the critical interactions between nature, plants, and people, to these leadership positions,” said SEFS Director Dan Brown. “SEFS and UWBG are poised to build on our strong programs in environmental horticulture, conservation biology, and restoration ecology and move forward in new and exciting directions, particularly as we continue to face the twin challenges of climate change and environmental racism and inequality.”

Owen succeeds Fred Hoyt, who retired as director in February after 38 years of service to the UWBG. SEFS is especially grateful for the steady and thoughtful leadership of Ray Larson, Curator of Living Collections and the Otis Douglas Hyde Herbarium, who has served as interim director and will continue in that role through Sept. 12.