BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Naples Garden Club Board of Directors 2011-2012
Executive Committee
- President – Sondra Quinn
- 1st Vice President – Linda Brown
- 2nd Vice President – Arlene Cluff
- 3rd Vice President – Roberta Ross
- Recording Secretary – Candi Child & Bobbie Juster
- Corresponding Secretary – Candi Child
- Treasurer – Peggy Blackburn
- Assistant Treasurer – Pat McNamara
- Immediate Past President – Liz Chehayl
Committee Chairs
- Governance Committee - Lydia Galton
- Membership Development Committee – Arlette Bradley
- Long Range Planning Committee – Liz Chehayl
- Communications Committee – Jane Corbly (Interim)
- Hospitality/Events Committee – Peggy Coniglio
- Community Involvement Committee – Fifi MacMahon
- Facilities/Operations Committee – Melinda Earle
Sondra Quinn, President
Personal Profile: Sondra is a retired museum executive. She is married to Jim Quinn, retired President, KQ & Associates. She has served on numerous boards in her field, and has been recognized by former Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, and the Florida Association of Museums. She has been named Woman of the Year in Arts and Culture, and is listed in Who’s Who in America.
Professional Experience: Founding President/CEO of Naples Botanical Garden; President/CEO, Orlando Science Center; Interim Director, Capital Children’s Museum, Washington, DC; Vice President, Program, The Science Museum of Minnesota.
Education: M.Ed., Elementary Education, University of Pittsburgh; B.A., The Arts, Pennsylvania State University; Getty Leadership Institute (GLI), University of California at Berkeley; Quality Management, Philip Crosby Quality College, Winter Park, FL
Current and past civic involvement:
- President of Naples Garden Club
- V P and Governance Committee Chair, Windstar Board of Directors
- Executive Committee Naples Area Tri Delta Alumnae Chapter
- NGC Flower Show School
- 1st VP/Chair, Program-NGC
- 2nd VP/Chair, House & Garden Tour
- Camden Garden Club, Camden, Maine
- President Bayshore Cultural Arts Board
- President Naples Area Tri Delta Alumnae Chapter
- Greater Naples Leadership (Class VIII), Community Services Committee
Linda LaRue Brown, First Vice President
Personal Profile: Linda is a professional interior designer with a life long commitment to both interior design and creative gardening. Linda is married to Jerry J. Brown, the former President of Duggan & Brown, Inc. of Barrington, IL & Abington, PA. They have two children; a daughter who lives in Ladue, Mo and a son who lives in Palatine, IL. Linda and Jerry have five grandchildren, ranging in age from 21 to 10 months.
Experience: During her 25 year career as an interior designer, Linda worked solely, designing homes and corporate offices for clients in the Chicago, St. Louis, Naples and West Palm Beach, Pittsburg, Spokane, WA, Raleigh, NC and Gulfport, MS areas. Her homes and gardens have been featured in several magazines over the years.
Education: The University of Missouri and Life!
Current and past civic involvement:
- First Vice President: Naples Garden Club
- Chairman of Naples House & Garden Annual Tour, 2009 & 2010
- Vice President: Infant Welfare Society of Barrington, IL
- Served on The Art in the Barn & Art Gallery Committee for Good Shepherd Hospital, Barrington, IL
- President: Barrington, IL. Newcomer’s Club
Arlene Cluff, Second Vice President
Personal Profile: Arlene is a retired RNC, BSN. Arlene is married to Roy A. Cluff, CPA, retired from International Paper Co.
Experience: Certified Registered nurse and Lactation Consultant, at New York University Medical Center- University Hospital and University of Rochester Medical Center- Strong Memorial Hospital. Nurse Manager of the Burn-Plastic Surgery Unit with professional achievements in Burn Nursing at the national level. A member of the Nursing Governing Board and Hospital Ethics and Infection Control committees.
Education: Saint Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing, Elmira, NY (1966), Alfred University, Saint John Fisher Campus, BSN (1980)
Current and past civic involvement:
- Naples Garden Club- House & Garden Tour Chair
- Mendon Foundation Land Trust Director and Mendon Station Festival Co-Chair
- American Hosta Society, Genesee Valley Hosta Society and Annual Hosta Show Chair
- 40-year member of the 7th District Federated Garden Clubs of NYS, Inc. and Four Seasons Garden Club. National Master Landscape Design Consultant.
- Naples Botanical Garden Volunteer in horticulture, docent for the Scott Florida Garden and Lea Asian Garden and the Horticulture Committee
- Town of Mendon Environmental Conservation Board and Town of Mendon Open Space Master Plan Committees.
Roberta Ross, Third Vice President:
Information coming soon
Margaret Blackburn, Treasurer
Personal Profile: Peggy was born and grew up in Pittsburgh, PA. For 35 years she lived outside Baltimore, MD where she raised her family on a farm. Now married to Bill Blackburn, she lives in Naples, FL and spends summers in Chautauqua, NY. Their combined families include 7 children and 12 grandchildren. Her interests include philanthropy and issues affecting the nonprofit sector, Duplicate Bridge, landscape architecture, historic architecture, decorative arts, travel, music, knitting and needlepoint.
Experience: Licensed CPA specializing in tax work and financing for the rehabilitation of historic buildings. Consultant to endowments, pension funds and wealthy families .
Education: The Masters School, Dobbsferry, NY; Wellesley College, Goucher College, Johns Hopkins University
Current and past civic involvement:
- Greenspring Valley Garden Club – 30 years
- Co-founder of the Secret Garden Tour to benefit Hammond Harwood House, Annapolis, MD
- Treasurer, Pelican Point West Condo Association
- Trustee or advisor for several private foundations
- Numerous volunteer associations
Pat McNamara, Assistant Treasurer
Information coming soon.
Candace Childs, Corresponding & Recording Secretary
Profile: Candi grew up in Andover, MA and now lives on the North Shore of MA. She is a retired educator. She enjoys gardening, golf, travel, bicycling and work outs at the gym. She is married to Skip Kelley, owner of Skip Kelley Associates-an inspection service company serving the real estate community. Candi has three stepchildren and six grandchildren. She spends six months in Naples and enjoys participating in the floral arranging classes.
Experience: Retired school administrator having served 35 years in the Lawrence, MA school system. Several part-time positions in various educational endeavors. Part-time real estate salesperson. Retail experience upon retirement.
Education: B.S. Elementary/Special Education, Boston University, Boston, MA; M.Ed. Elementary School Administration, Boston State College, Boston, MA
Current and past civic involvement:
- Recently appointed corresponding secretary for the NGC
- Head house and garden tour hostess 2012
- Past house and garden tour hostess 2010, 2011
- Volunteer for the NGC Flower Show
- Member of the Newbury, MA Garden Club
- Program Committee for the Newbury Garden Club
Bobbie Juster, Recording Secretary
More information coming soon.
Lydia Galton, Governance Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Lydia is a retired publishing executive. She is married to James E. Galton, the retired president of Marvel Entertainment Company. They have a son, Edward, who lives in London and daughters, Maggie, who lives in Mexico City, Beth, who lives in New York City and Jean who lives in Seattle, and five grandchildren. She has traveled widely and has lived in Rome (1965-1966) and London (1991).
Experience: During her career in publishing she was the Subsidiary Rights Director at Little Brown, McGraw Hill Book Company , T. Y. Crowell, and New American Library. She was also an editor at the Encyclopedia Americana and a researcher for the Encyclopedia of World Art (McGraw Hill, New York and Rome).
Education: Fordham, School of Education
Current and past civic involvement:
- President of the League of Women Voters of Collier County
- Director of LWV Florida
- Director of Leadership Collier Foundation of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce
- Governance Committee Chair Naples Garden Club
- Member of Greater Naples Leadership Community Services Committee
- President, Naples Garden Club, 2003- 05; Flower Show Chair, 2000-03
- Secretary of FFGC District IX (2003-05)
- Chairman of the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Judges Council (District IX; 2008)
- Certified Flower Show Judge
- Graduate of Greater Naples Leadership (Class X)
Arlette Bradley, Membership Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Arlette Bradley is a retired educator. She is married to David Bradley, retired Director of Worldwide Packaging for Kellogg’s Cereal. They have one daughter, Megan, who is a Director of IT for Westin Hotels in Chicago. The Bradley family has traveled extensively to Europe, Asia, Australia, England, Ireland, and throughout the Americas.
Experience:
Education: B.A., Nazareth College; M.A., Western Michigan University; M.S., Michigan State University; M.S., University of Florida
Current and past civic involvement:
- Florida Master Gardener
- Michigan Master Gardener
- League Club of Naples
- Membership Chair of the Naples Garden Club (2006-present)
- Master Gardener Workshop Series Committee
- Naples Women’s Club
- Chair of the House Hostess Committee, Naples Garden Club
- Naples Women’s Club
- Chair of the House Hostess Committee, Naples Garden Club
- President of Michigan Junior League
Liz Chehayl, Long Range Planning Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Liz is a retired health care and medical school administrator and active volunteer. She is a Florida Certified Horticultural Professional, Chairman of the Building and Grounds Committee at Windstar, has participated in planning and design at the Naples Botanical Garden, and was a Master Gardener and garden designer in Chicago and New Jersey. She is married to Peter Chehayl, a financial executive, and has one son, Daniel, who lives in Vermont, and two stepdaughters, who live in New Jersey and Brooklyn.
Expereince: She created and managed Medicare HMOs for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Northern Ohio (1986-88), was Assistant Dean for Policy Development at Case Western Reserve Medical School (1983-86) and held other policy planning positions at the medical school.
Education: B.S. and B.A., Washington University in St. Louis; M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Current and past civic involvement:
- Chair, Long Range Planning/Policy, Naples Garden Club
- Website Administrator, Naples Garden Club
- Collections Committee, Naples Botanical Garden
- Accessions Volunteer, Naples Botanical Garden
- President, Naples Garden Club
- Flower Show Chairman, Naples Garden Club
- Several Benefit Committees, Naples Botanical Garden
Barbara Sampson, Communications Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Barbara is a retired manager for NYNEX Corp. (Verizon). She is married for to Richard Sampson, a former Director at Verizon Corporation. They have no children but have a large extended family all over the country. They have traveled both in the US and internationally. Their travel claim to fame is a 10 week cross country trip in a VW camper. Try that and stay married for 44 years.
Experience: During her 33 year career in the Communications Industry she supervised representatives in the Customer Service Department and trained both new and existing representatives. She was promoted to Manager and supervised a staff that wrote company practices, interacted with the Public Service Commission (PSC), and answered interrogatories when needed in settling disputes between the PSC and company. After divesture from AT&T, she continued working on the NYNEX Corporate Staff managing a staff of New York and New England employees. Project Managed the merger of IT systems in New York and New England.
Education: Tyrone Area High School; Attended numerous AT&T, New York Telephone and NYNEX Educational Sessions; such as supervision, public speaking, leadership, regulatory rules & regulations, a wide range of computer skills.
Current and past civic involvement:
- Member of the Executive Committee of the Naples Garden Club
- Election Precinct Volunteer via the St. Williams Council of the Knights of Columbus
- Past member of the Valley Oak HOA Board of Directors
- Member of the Jacksonville Lung Transplant Support Group
- Member of St. Williams Church
Fifi MacMahon, Community Involvement Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Fifi has spent most of her active working life as an insurance broker. She has held Property and Casualty licenses in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine and New York. She is married to Tom MacMahon whom she met after her first husband died in 1992. Between them, they have five children – two in Colorado, two in Connecticut and one in North Carolina. Fifi’s garden club experiences in Connecticut and Pennsylvania inspired her to join Naples Garden Club immediately upon moving here. She has been involved with NGC since 1999.
Experience:
Education:
Current and past civic involvement:
- Naples garden Club Chair of Community Affairs with particular interest in Sponsorships for the House Tour
- Nominating Committee for the Alumnae Board & Co-Chair of the Naples Chapter for Miss Porter’s School in Farmington, CT
- Class Vice President, previously as Memorial Chair and reunion coordinator for Smith College Northampton, MA
- Corresponding Secretary for The League Club in Naples
- Development, Fundraising, Nominating, Events, Investment and Art Appreciation committees for The League Club in Naples
- Naples Garde Club Corresponding Secretary, Program Chairman and Long Range Planning Chair
Melinda Earle, Facilities/Operations Committee Chair
Personal Profile: Melinda is a full time volunteer since 1963 and a model. She enjoys advanced flower arranging, clay shooting and travel. This year alone she has traveled over 100,00 miles from Cambodia, Europe and the United Kingdom plus criss-crossing this country shooting and judging six flower shows. She spends more time with Delta Airlines than at home! (Six times across the Atlantic and once across the Pacific this year.) Melinda shoot FITASC, a formalized version of sporting clays, both here in America and in Europe and in four of the World FITASC tournaments. Weekends are spent shooting here in Florida.
Expereince:
Education: B.A. in History, University of Michigan
Current and past civic involvement:
- Jr. League of Detroit: produced the first and tenth Show House Brochure and directed the Follies Program.
- Planned Parenthood Board
- Holiday Mart Chair
- Shop Chairman
- Church bazaar worker
- Member of the Garden Club of Michigan 1985-present (Garden Club of America)
- The Jr. League Gardeners (National Garden Club)
- Chaired or co-chaired committee responsible for weekly fresh floral arrangements for the lobbies of the Detroit Institute of Arts
- Flower Arrangement Judge for the Garden Club of America (1995-present)
- The League Club, Naples
- Naples Garden Club member since 1998
- Flower Show co-chair
- New Designs and Flower Show Design Instructor
- Currently Operations Chair