2026 JCC/WMGA Board Members
Our new 2026 leadership team took office in January, with over 80 years of Master Gardening experience to guide them in leading our organization this year. Most have been gardening since childhood and bring tremendous knowledge and practical experience to their work as Master Gardeners.
Please get to know these outstanding individuals who have stepped into leadership roles this year. You may learn a few new things about old friends and colleagues from their interviews. Many hands make light work, and our leadership team will need every member’s support and assistance to make 2026 an outstanding year of service to our greater community
Anne Hunt
President
I have been a Master Gardener since 2015 in Tucson Arizona, where I was a Board Member of the Tucson Community Gardens, which was a great passion of mine, I transferred to JCCW in 2023.
I have loved gardening from a very early age, and I loved gardening alongside my grandparents here in Williamsburg. I learned to properly dig a hole, what time of year to prune, and the joy of sitting back at day’s end looking out on nature in its glory. I am most interested in native plants and trees, a passion I developed in depth in Tucson and am now focusing on here in Williamsburg. Garden design is also an area of interest as I develop our garden here at my home in Williamsburg.
Highlights of my service as a Master Gardener are the great friendships I’ve made through the Master Gardener Program, and the feeling of working together with fellow gardeners on projects that in most cases take years is extremely rewarding. Knowing that those projects help educate and inspire our community is the common bond we all share. Moving to Williamsburg and immediately finding new friends in the JCCW group made me truly feel back home. I look forward to meeting more fellow gardeners in the coming years.
My favorite projects and proudest accomplishments: I love applying my organizational, technical, and creative skills to MG projects big and small. My proudest, and most fun project with the Tucson MG Program was leading the team to take our “in-person” Plant Clinic online during the pandemic. We were able to help thousands of residents with their gardening questions and challenges, while at the same time capturing all the data for research purposes. Our team worked together to build an online Plant Clinic program that continues today.
At the same time, I was the leader of the Xeriscape Garden at the Pima County Master Gardener public gardens for 4 years. Here, I enjoyed a fabulous team that expanded the garden, added plant materials and design elements, designed passive water retention features, and more. Here in Williamsburg, I’ve enjoyed being a part of the Communications Team. It has helped me see the scope of the great work done here and develop a desire to do get more deeply involved.
My goals for 2026 as the President include working with Board members to support our many important projects. I plan to gain hands-on experience with each of our projects. I look forward to connecting with JCCW Master Gardeners in the coming year, as the people doing the work are so much a part of what I enjoy about our program. It is important to me to accomplish our mission as an educational gardening program in such a way that we as a group are strengthened just as we help strengthen our community. I feel fortunate to be a part of such an incredible group. Seeing how widespread our touch is in this community is inspiring and uplifting.
Beyond gardening. I love reading, art, movies, jigsaw puzzles, walking my dog, my family, and life in general. Professionally, I was a marketing professional and interior designer. I have found that these talents serve me well in all my endeavors. Throughout my life I’ve been a ‘hands-on’ home renovator, and I am applying those skills to our new ‘old house’ here in Williamsburg. It was once the Raleigh Tavern Kitchen before being moved from CW to the Burns Lane neighborhood in 1949.
Sue Barton
President-Elect
Favorite projects or proudest accomplishment as a master gardener. Although I have enjoyed working on several projects, my work with the Training Team over the past five years—including serving as Training Team Lead in 2024—has been the highlight of my time as an EMG. Planning the training classes and getting to know the new trainees/interns each year has been especially rewarding. I’ve built wonderful friendships within the Training Team, and the team’s support and camaraderie have made this experience both fun and meaningful.
I have been a Master Gardener since 2020. I became a Master Gardener to expand my gardening knowledge, connect with others who share that interest, and—most importantly—learn how to grow better tomatoes (at my husband Jim’s request). As a retired teacher, education is very important to me, so the VCE program’s mission to educate the community is a natural fit.
Goals for 2026: I accepted the President-Elect position to support Anne as she leads our association forward. My goal is to gain a deeper understanding of the board and to work collaboratively with the board on behalf of our membership. In this role, I hope to support EMG projects and initiatives and advance VCE’s mission of educating and serving our community.
Beyond Gardening. I enjoy reading (especially spy novels), movies, staying active, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Dave Kleppinger
Past President
I have been a Master Gardener since 2016 and Tree Steward since 2023.
I have loved gardening since I gardened and landscaped as a kid growing up in the Garden State.
I became a Master Gardener because I’ve enjoyed landscaping and landscape design my entire adult life. I studied commercial landscape design in graduate school, which opened my eyes to how plant material can meaningfully impact the physical and visible environment. As a result, I’ve always enjoyed identifying optimal right plant – right place options.
Highlights of my service as a Master Gardener include interfacing with the public through home visits and CW Arboretum tours.
My favorite projects and proudest accomplishments: I am most proud of the opportunity I’ve had to work with a team of talented Master Gardener Tree Stewards creating and growing the CW Arboretum. And what I’ve learned on this project enabled me to lead a team of Tree Stewards to create the accredited Ford’s Colony Arboretum. I also enjoy helping homeowners overcome lawn and landscaping issues. For decades, I struggled to have a lawn better than the worst-looking on the street. This motivated me to understand how best to cultivate a healthy turf crop while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Today I’m the lead “Turf Love”, which will change to become “Soil Solutions” this year.
My goals for 2026 as the Past-President are totransition the old Turf Love outreach program into a new program called “Soil Savvy,” which will focus on teaching homeowners the basics of improving their garden or lawn soil. I also aim to continue growing and enhancing our Farmers Market program for both master gardener volunteers and market visitors, and to optimize every EMG’s experience as a VCE volunteer by improving the quality of our projects.
Beyond gardening. I grew up in the Delaware Valley, so I’m a dedicated Philadelphia sports fan… Go Birds! I enjoy golfing with friends, conducting genealogical research, and taking part in service projects with my Rotary club. I also love escaping into historical fiction set in medieval times. Despite living in Virginia since 1980, I remain a witty, cheesesteak-eating Philly street corner guy. I also serve on the Ford’s Colony Roads and Project Maintenance Committee and benefit from the insights of its Landscape Design Subcommittee and the landscape staff.
Dot Finnegan
VP of Administration
I have been a Master Gardener since 2020.
I am also a member of the World Wildlife Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, and the Cornell Ornithology Lab, and I participate in its annual Feeder Watch.
I have loved gardening since I began digging weeds at home when I was 7 years old.
I became a Master Gardener to gain more of an understanding of gardening, especially the plants in my garden as well as what might also flourish there. I also wanted to gain knowledge that might assist neighbors through my volunteer work on various projects.
My favorite project is the plant sale. I have enjoyed helping with organizing, sharing plants, and assisting with the sale. It publicizes our endeavors, brings joy to so many folks in our area, and financially supports our other projects. One of the things I appreciate about our unit is that members can contribute in a variety of ways, according to their own interests and abilities, without judgment.
My goals for 2026 and beyond include:
- Continue to engage in the pruning clinic and the plant sale.
- To document our meetings as well as participate in the stewardship of the organization.
- To continue to send cards to members who are sick or who have lost loved ones.
- To communicate our endeavors to the public through local media.
Beyond gardening. I taught the history of higher education and have knowledge of the land-grant movement that gave rise to the Extension Service. I am interested in continuing my academic research. I enjoy the Cornell Ornithology Lab and its annual Feeder Watch, reading, and playing pool with friends.
Jeff Mellinger
VP of Projects
I have been a Master Gardener since 2020 and a Tree Steward since 2023.
I became a Master Gardener to learn what plants, shrubs, and trees grow in Virginia, having lived above the Mason-Dixon line all my life. I also wanted to get into volunteer work after retiring from a full-time position. I have utilized those skills in laying out and planting my own garden and now issue the knowledge and share it with my friends, family, and the general public within the greater Williamsburg area.
Favorite projects or proudest accomplishment as a master gardener. I work in Mattey’s Garden; Williamsburg Botanical Garden work crew; Landscape Love, Pruning Clinic; Tree Calls, Palace Herb Garden at Colonial Willaimsburg (CW); CW nursery: the Powell Garden at CW and Plant Sale. I have also participated at Blayton School Gardens.
Biggest accomplishment – leading the Mattey’s Garden ground crew in a complete garden renovation project in 2025 in time to celebrate the Gardens 25th anniversary.
Proudest accomplishment- working with three Tree Steward classmates in developing a Level I Arboretum in Fords Colony. We identified over 60 different species of woody shrubs and trees and marked over 70 of them along a Nature trail within the development.
Goals for 2026 as a board member. Improve communication between projects and foster a culture where project volunteers and project leaders can easily share ideas, challenges, and subject-matter experts.
Beyond Gardening. I play golf weekly, Jigsaw puzzles and traveling – traveled to Italy in 2024; London in 2025; Badlands, Mt Rushmore, points in South Dakota and Minnesota in 2025. In 2026 we plan to travel to Scotland and Ireland. Possible trip to Portugal and Spain in 2027. Alaska in 2028.
Donald Pearce
VP of Internal Education
Master Gardener Class and other MG certifications or gardening interests: Transferred from Penn State Master Gardeners in the summer of 2025. I have a Diploma in Ornamental Horticulture from the Westmoreland County Vocational/Technical School. My interests include 18th-century gardens, gardening techniques, and garden history. Also interested in apothecary gardens & herbs.
Why did you become a master gardener? I became a master gardener to expand my horticultural interests and knowledge.
Favorite projects or proudest accomplishment as a master gardener. Creation and interpretation of an 18th-century “living history” Soldiers Garden at the Fort LeBoeuf French & Indian War Museum.
Goals for 2026 as a board member. As a board member, I look forward to working with the other board members to provide a wide range of teaching & learning opportunities for both our members and the community.
Beyond Gardening (what else do you like doing? In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my wife, reading and collecting gardening books, and creating art.
Wayne Koenig,
VP of Communications
I have been a Master Gardener since 2024. I have loved gardening since childhood, growing up on a farm in the Texas Panhandle, where we grew our own vegetables and fruits. My particular interest is landscape and flower gardening.
My favorite projects includevolunteering on the Communications Committee and collaborating with dedicated master gardener volunteers across the various gardens and projects. I find the technical and mental challenge of managing the JCCWMG website and other social media platforms rewarding. Additionally, I enjoy volunteering at the Brickyard Landing Riparian Buffer Garden because it is a new and expanding project, and I’m committed to reestablishing our popular Farmers Market program.
My goals for 2026 as the VP of Communications are to continue engaging with and learning about our Association’s mission and its many great projects, as there is so much to explore and accomplish. I will also keep working within the organization to equip our master gardeners with social media tools, applications, and platforms to communicate with each other and with our gardening public, supporting our Association’s mission. Lastly, I aim to establish a mobile-friendly digital format for the association’s monthly newsletter and develop an association cloud storage system for sharing files and project information.
Beyond gardening. I enjoy woodworking and working around my house and garden. My ongoing home garden project is to build a small greenhouse and to learn hydroponics.
Jack Zimmerman
Secretary
I am a new Master Gardener, graduating with the Class of 2025.
I became a master gardener for the community, learning, and sharing. I have always deeply respected plants and our natural world, and I find true joy in learning, cultivating, and playing with plants. Gardening provides me with a great sense of calm and refuge through cultivation and stewardship. Like anything else, we grow and learn when we practice together, and I especially enjoy sharing the gardening experience with others.
Favorite projects. I have been able to volunteer at the Orr flower garden and meet some absolutely incredible master gardeners who have taught me more than I ever expected about the intricacies and practice of growing flowers. The Orr garden has helped me learn from and listen to the changing seasons of our planet, find wonder in the smallest things, and enjoy each and every day. More importantly, I have been inspired by the strength of our master gardening community and the great expanse of knowledge, experience, and passion every Master Gardener brings to our projects and gardens. I’m encouraged by what a good thing we all have together.
Goals for 2026 as a board member. I am excited for the upcoming year and for learning about the operation and function of the MGA. As I continue getting to know other Master Gardeners and experience our organization doing good things in our community, I look forward to offering a helping hand where needed. I would like to help strengthen our organization by supporting efforts of education, organization, and engagement.
Beyond Gardening. Williamsburg has been my on-and-off home for the last 18 years, and in that time, I have developed a strong affection for our town, which I now get to share with my partner. I enjoy being with my friends in our wonderful little town. I love that I live close to my family and get to spend much of my time with them, and that I get to play with my nephews. They’re insanely joyful, and I love it. I enjoy running on forest trails in and around Williamsburg and visiting the JCC Rec Center. This year, I will become a licensed Architect and am interested in how my architectural practice can inform my Master Gardening.
Linda Neilson
Treasurer
I have been a Master Gardener since 2018.
I have loved gardening since enjoying my mother’s beautiful gardens and am inspired by those memories. My mother had such a “green thumb” that she could make anything grow.
I became a Master Gardener to gain knowledge and work with people who enjoy gardening.
Highlights of my service as a Master Gardener: Water Wise Garden activities and plant sales over the years
My favorite projects include: Landscape Love, Turf Love, Therapeutic Gardening, and the Water Wise Demonstration Garden. As a Master Gardener, I’m especially interested in native plant species and the history of specific plant groups. I’m looking forward to contributing to our local efforts to promote biodiversity and native plants in home gardens
My goals for 2026 as the Treasurer are to continue to streamline the budget and requisition processes.
Beyond gardening. I enjoy reading, golfing, genealogy, and digging into British history from Alfred the Great to King Charles III. My professional background is in information technology, along with expertise in Microsoft products used for budgeting and cash flow processes. This experience helps in my role as Treasurer.
Marilyn Riddle
VMGA Representative
I have been a Master Gardener since 2001. I am also a member ofThe American Horticultural Society and a life member of the VMGA, our state counterpart.
I have loved gardening since watching my mother and paternal grandfather tend their gardens and then enjoying the delicious vegetables they grew! My mother and both grandfathers took pride in their vegetable gardens in their small Southern towns, and they used them to help lower the food costs for their families. Today, I carry on that interest by knowing where the best farmer’s markets are located within a 50-mile radius of my home.
I became a Master Gardener because I wanted to expand on the knowledge that I acquired watching and helping my mother work in our family vegetable garden of my youth.
My favorite projects and proudest accomplishments: I enjoyed working in the initial horticultural therapy program at The Williamsburg Landing as an intern under the guidance of Dr. Diane Relf, the first MG coordinator for Virginia. Barbara Gustafson ably assisted her. We won a national award as a result.
I also enjoyed the Orr Garden, when it was the Reid Garden at Colonial Williamsburg, both as a worker and as the project coordinator. I served as chair of two CW Gardens for three years. I prepared and conducted a tour there for USDA officials who were conferencing at the Williamsburg Inn, with one day’s notice. Their questions, during the tour or through emails afterward, were lessons I used going forward with that project.
Most recently, I have enjoyed serving as the VMGA representative. It has also been a very educational and social experience.
My goal for 2026, as the VMGA Representative, is to increase membership in the VMGA by continuing to tell the story of the group’s impact on state issues. The VMGA has sponsored some particularly successful programs and supports all Master Gardeners across the state.
Beyond gardening. I am the proud mother of two sons, both Virginia Tech graduates, and one daughter, a UVA graduate.
I am a retired high school math teacher and an advocate for public education. I am a member of both the VEA-R and NEA-R. I am involved at all three levels as a state leader in DKG and a past state president in this women teachers’ honorary organization, where I continue in an advisory role.
As a member of P.E.O., I chair an interview team that seeks doctoral candidates for our national scholarships. We have been successful twice in the last four years and await results again in this competition. I am also a state officer in NARFE (active and retired federal employees), which includes being a liaison to Congressman Wittman from the state board of NARFE. We are the only advocate organization for this group.
I am a regular advocate for JCCWMGA to VMGA, and I serve as Early Greeter Chairman at Williamsburg UMC.
Luke Gladden
VCE ANR Agent
I have had the pleasure of being associated with JCCW Master Gardeners since 2024. I am also the Appointed Extension Director for the Colonial Water and Soil Conservation District.
I have loved gardening as a byproduct of my love for nature, and have long had an interest in gardening and horticulture. My mother is an avid gardener, and that exposure helped introduce me to the plant world. I have enjoyed several horticulture and plant-based courses in college that furthered my insight and interest in horticulture, especially plant nutrition and disease diagnosis.
My goals for 2026 as the VCE agent include becoming more involved and knowledgeable about the numerous projects the Master Gardeners undertake and working closely with the Board on new initiatives to improve the program. Continue collaborating with the training team to assist them in welcoming and preparing new Master Gardeners. Work on aligning member qualifications with the current date and volunteer requirements.
Beyond gardening. I love to read; literature is a passion of mine. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with a focus in Entomology. Entomology is my special interest, and I can be a little bit of a nerd about insects. I have done research on the impact of trash on local waterways, eco-anxiety, and fertilizer nutrient impact on plants. Since I majored in Environmental Science in college, a variety of topics related to sustainability, renewable energy, and water are of interest to me. Music has also been a large part of my life, both listening to it and playing instruments myself. I can play the trumpet, mellophone, French horn, and piano.