PHILDELPHIA, Pa. – March 18, 2026 – Awbury Arboretum is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Chris Steinmeier effective March 24, 2026. Steinmeier is a seasoned nonprofit leader with more than 15 years of leadership experience in community-based education and community engagement.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris Steinmeier to Awbury Arboretum,” said Shanna Halpern, Awbury’s outgoing board chair. “His passion for education, proven nonprofit leadership, and commitment to community make him the ideal person to lead the Arboretum. His collaborative approach and creative problem-solving skills will enable him to smoothly lead us through the next two years of our existing Strategic Plan and beyond with joy and determination.”
Steinmeier brings 25 years of experience in the field of education. Prior to joining Awbury, he co-founded and served as Executive Director of Natural Creativity, an alternative education nonprofit focused on youth development and community learning based in Germantown. During his ten years there, he grew the size of the organization and the number of families it served, more than tripled its annual operating budget and was responsible for raising approximately $5 million dollars. He also developed their strategic and business plans, established operating systems, guided programming, developed and maintained community partnerships and managed a staff of ten.
Before that, Steinmeier was the program director at the Save a Mind Foundation, where he led research, development, implementation, and assessment of an innovative school education in three cities. He developed training and support materials, along with coaching sessions, for over 200 teachers, resulting in a positive impact for over 2,000 middle school students. He also has experience as a classroom teacher from kindergarten through middle school, and has taught educators at the college level.
“I’m honored to join Awbury Arboretum and continue the incredible work of sharing the grounds of Awbury with our community while caring for its wellbeing,” said Steinmeier. “I fell in love with the arboretum during the pandemic, when, as Natural Creativity searched for an all-outdoors space for our students, we discovered Adventure Woods. What an incredible community asset. My daughter had her first birthday party here. I intend to preserve and build upon Awbury’s considerable strengths, including an engaged and dedicated staff and board of directors, and a beautiful, nationally designated historic landscape.
I look forward to meeting our neighbors, welcoming the surrounding community to Awbury, and working as hard as I can to ensure that Awbury’s diverse features, from spaces of quiet reflection to nature play areas, and the innovative urban agricultural space of the Farm, are safe and welcoming everyone, uniting Germantown in meaningful ways.”
Steinmeier earned his Master’s degree and Doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania. His educational and leadership philosophy emphasizes creativity, compassion, and collaboration in building strong communities.
“I am particularly excited to have an educator take the helm at Awbury,” said Mali Skotheim, incoming board chair. “Nature-based education is central to our work here at Awbury and Chris will bring a robust understanding of learning and human development into our education work here. Our Awbury Adventures summer camps will benefit from Chris’ experience with the camps offered at Natural Creativity, and I am confident in his ability to lead Awbury with thoughtfulness, care, and a community-centric approach.”
The decision to hire Steinmeier comes after a competitive, two and a half month long reviewing and interviewing process of close to 100 candidates, following the departure of former executive director Sara Stevenson in early January. Ann O’Brien, a nonprofit leadership coach and consultant, has served as interim executive director during the transition.
Awbury Arboretum is a free 56-acre public garden and farm serving Northwest Philadelphia for over 100 years. Building on the social justice values of its Quaker founders, Awbury serves as an accessible greenspace that welcomes the pursuit of learning, recreation, and peace. As a beacon of historical and environmental stewardship, these grounds shelter and protect both social and biological diversity. Awbury as a vital part of a greener, healthier Philadelphia that encourages an ever-deepening integration of city life and the natural world.
For more information about Awbury Arboretum and its programs, visit Awbury.org.
