Programs, Initiatives, & Networks Coordinator
Bailee joined the American Public Gardens Association staff in March 2021. In her role as Programs, Initiatives, and Networks Coordinator she assists in the development and administration of all Association programs. Bailee coordinates the Urban Agriculture Resilience Program in partnership with the United States Botanic Garden.
Bailee grew up in Parker, CO where she developed her love for plants. She is also from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and currently learning the Choctaw language! Bailee graduated with a B.S. in Plant Sciences at Cornell University with a minor in American Indian and Indigenous Studies. She then continued and received her master’s degree from Cornell in Public Garden Leadership. While at Cornell she began developing a relationship with the plants native to the area, in upstate New York, through volunteering and interning at Cornell Botanic Gardens and Ithaca Children’s Garden. For her master’s degree action project, Bailee curated and interpreted an exhibit showcasing the relationships ash trees have with the world around them. After graduating in 2019, Bailee moved to northern Virginia to assist Oak Spring Garden Foundation with starting up their Bio-cultural Conservation Farm. Before joining the association, Bailee also worked with Red Lake Nation in Minnesota to develop a food sovereignty plan.
Bailee is very passionate about connecting plants and people! In her free time, she enjoys learning about food sovereignty, traditional relationships with plants, and garden education. Bailee spends much of her time hiking, painting, working on natural dye projects, cooking, and leading a Dungeons and Dragons campaign for her friends.
