Susan Wagner, CEO of Huntsville Botanical Garden, leads the organization in its mission to connect people with plants and nature. With a strong background in nonprofit management and environmental education, she has significantly enhanced the garden’s programs and community outreach, achieving record growth and visitor engagement. Wagner, a recipient of the Huntsville Chamber of Commerce 2023 Russell G. Brown Executive Leadership Award, is passionate about fostering a deeper appreciation for plants to enhance overall well-being.

Annette Alexander is the Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.  In this role, she leads the Garden’s strategy for raising philanthropic contributions to support its operations, special projects and campaigns in the achievement of its mission.  She is responsible for planning, integration, external relations, and collaborations related to Garden fundraising, membership, development programs, and most recently hospitality services.  As Vice President, she serves on the Garden’s executive leadership team guiding institutional direction and strategic planning. She is a member of Huntsville Rotary Club and is a recent Leadership Flagship Class 37 Graduate.  She achieved her CFRE Certification as a Certified Fund Raising Executive in December 2022.  

Rebecca graduated with her Master of Science degree in Horticulture from North Carolina State University in 2012 and Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, focusing in horticulture, from Stephen F, Austin State University in 2010. She discovered her passion for public horticulture and teaching through her mom and her various employments at the SFA Mast Arboretum, “Nacogdoches Naturally” Education Program, Missouri Botanical Garden, the JC Raulston Arboretum and Moore Farms Botanical Garden (MFBG). At the Huntsville Botanical Garden, she is Vice President of Learning and Public Engagement. She has a strong passion for educating the community, leadership, public horticulture, and sharing her love for the outdoors while teaching. 

Lorem ipsum odor amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Habitant vulputate morbi libero placerat montes, hac id aliquet. Dui ex molestie viverra condimentum ligula efficitur mus. Sapien feugiat facilisi euismod varius ex penatibus. Lacus leo justo cras eros ullamcorper ac praesent. Ad mattis a euismod erat senectus taciti vulputate purus. Enim faucibus senectus dapibus risus ornare malesuada! Ultricies ornare hac fames primis netus dolor rhoncus.

Egestas malesuada vulputate cursus; faucibus dignissim odio. Pretium vehicula viverra taciti pulvinar per; morbi justo nulla. Arcu enim in lectus sagittis mauris; nulla ut. Risus et facilisis laoreet leo justo vitae; porttitor in. Sit nam litora montes quisque luctus commodo magna. Dignissim in odio natoque litora ullamcorper; porta magnis amet. Dui quis ornare dui, orci hendrerit amet. Egestas justo augue magnis faucibus conubia mus. Vestibulum habitasse gravida efficitur; rutrum nisi ut. Semper sodales nostra sagittis amet vivamus?

Tracy  Cook oversees horticulture operations, nursery and greenhouse, plant conservation, and collections curation and mapping at Huntsville Botanical Garden. Tracy Cook has 20 years of experience designing, installing, and maintaining landscapes and gardens, from single-family residences to botanic gardens. She has two advanced degrees: Plant and Soil Science from Alabama A&M University and Horticulture from Auburn University, specializing in landscape design, nursery and greenhouse management, and conservation geography. She has served on the Alabama Invasive Plant Council board and is a project lead with the Alabama Plant Conservation Alliance for Clematis morefieldii, for which she has done extensive fieldwork. She serves on the Southeastern Partners for Plant Conservation steering committee and is a Species Steward with the Global Conservation Consortium for Oaks (GCCO) for Quercus boyntonii. Her research focus is ex-situ conservation of plants and applying conservation horticulture techniques to safeguard vulnerable plant species and enhance regional ecosystem health. Her passions include conserving rare native plants, reveling in Alabama’s unique natural habitats, and helping people choose well-adapted and native plants to solve problems and enhance sustainability in residential landscapes. 

Angie Hendershot serves as the Director of Human Resources for the Huntsville Botanical Garden. Angie earned her bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in Human Resources Management from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio and her master’s degree in Human Resources from the University of Scranton, in Scranton, Pennsylvania.  She brings over 20 years of HR experience across many industries including higher education and hospitality. She has a proven record of implementing strategic HR programs that provide demonstrated results in key metric areas and is looking forward to making the Garden a Best Place to Work in the Rocket City.   

Laura McPhail, APR, is the Director of Communication and Guest Experience at Huntsville Botanical Garden. In this role, she uses her expertise in strategic public relations and marketing planning to reach diverse audiences of internal and external stakeholders to share the Garden’s mission of connecting people to plants. She also oversees all operations related to admissions, special events, and the gift shop. She received her M.A. in Public Relations from Immaculata University and her B.A. in Communication from Mississippi State University. In addition to several local, state, and regional awards, Laura earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) in 2018 and was recognized with a Senior Practitioner Award from the Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF) in 2019. She earned an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2025. 

Lorem ipsum odor amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Habitant vulputate morbi libero placerat montes, hac id aliquet. Dui ex molestie viverra condimentum ligula efficitur mus. Sapien feugiat facilisi euismod varius ex penatibus. Lacus leo justo cras eros ullamcorper ac praesent. Ad mattis a euismod erat senectus taciti vulputate purus. Enim faucibus senectus dapibus risus ornare malesuada! Ultricies ornare hac fames primis netus dolor rhoncus.

Egestas malesuada vulputate cursus; faucibus dignissim odio. Pretium vehicula viverra taciti pulvinar per; morbi justo nulla. Arcu enim in lectus sagittis mauris; nulla ut. Risus et facilisis laoreet leo justo vitae; porttitor in. Sit nam litora montes quisque luctus commodo magna. Dignissim in odio natoque litora ullamcorper; porta magnis amet. Dui quis ornare dui, orci hendrerit amet. Egestas justo augue magnis faucibus conubia mus. Vestibulum habitasse gravida efficitur; rutrum nisi ut. Semper sodales nostra sagittis amet vivamus?