Board of Trustees & Liaisons

Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) Tarflower Chapter Representative

The Tarflower Chapter of FNPS is a recent partner of MBG. They are focused on cultivating, restoring and maintaining Mead Garden’s natural habitats and native planted areas for the benefit of wildlife as well as human enjoyment.

CPA

Full Sail University
Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer

Debbie Magruder currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Full Sail University, an award-winning entertainment media college in Winter Park, Florida. She has been with Full Sail University for over 30 years acting as the Chief Financial Officer of Full Sail for 24 years and the Chief Administrative Officer for 5 years. Debbie directs the administrative, financial, human resource and compliance & regulatory departments at the University. In this role, she oversees the accounting department to include all financial reporting and modeling, accounting, compliance and regulatory matters and the human resource department. She manages the university’s corporate insurance and the university’s employee benefits to include all health insurance plans and 401K Plan administration for over 2,500 employees.

Her career began at Full Sail University in 1989 while she was also completing her fifth year accounting requirements for the CPA Exam at Stetson University. In 1992, she pursued a public accounting career at a full-service CPA firm, Randolph, Swain, Tallent & Whitehead, LLP. In November 1995, she passed all four parts of the CPA examination and later in January 1996, Debbie returned to Full Sail University. Debbie has a BBA degree in Accounting from Stetson University.

In 2016, she was nominated for and completed the Leadership Stetson University program. Also, in 2016, she was recognized with the Administrator of the Year award from the Florida Association of Postsecondary Schools and Colleges (FAPSC). She has been nominated for the Girl Scout’s of Citrus Council Women of Distinction award. In 2021, she was awarded the Distinguished Volunteer of the Year from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). In 2022, she completed the Leadership Winter Park program, Class XXXII. In 2023, she was awarded the 2023 Vicky Raymond Helping Hands Award by CECO, Conductive Education Center of Orlando.

In addition to her career achievements, she is a board member on the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design Board of Directors in Lakewood, Colorado and a board member of the Mead Gardens Botanical in Winter Park, Florida. She serves on the Florida Credential Review Committee. She is a past Executive Committee board member and Treasurer of the Winter Park Florida Chamber of Commerce, a past board member of the Stetson University Alumni Association and was a member of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) Financial Review Committee for over ten years. She is the former Chair of the CECU Federal Regulatory Committee and a current member of the CECU Federal Legislative and Regulatory Committees. She is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA), Financial Executives International (FIE), and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the Florida Institute of CFO’s (fiCFO). She is a licensed CPA in the State of Florida and has held this active license since 1995.

As a shareholder in Lowndes’ commercial real estate practice area, Laura Walda has served as lead or co-counsel on numerous multimillion-dollar transactions. She frequently handles contract and lease negotiation and drafting, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, and the negotiation and structuring of credit facilities, as well as reviews title insurance matters. Laura also possesses experience in commercial litigation, focusing on title insurance matters, landlord/tenant disputes, and banking litigation.

Active in various community and professional organizations, Laura currently serves on the Mead Botanical Garden Board of Trustees and as chair-elect of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Alumni Board and a past president of both the Orlando chapter of CREW (Commercial Real Estate Women) and the Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens.

Recognized for her achievements, Laura has been named to The Best Lawyers in America, Florida Super Lawyers, Orlando Business Journal's “40 Under 40,” and Winter Park Magazine's “People to Watch.” She is the recipient of the Indiana University Maurer School of Law Distinguished Service Award, the CREW Orlando Distinguished Leader Award, and the Ninth Judicial Circuit Pro Bono Merit Award. Laura is a proud “triple Hoosier,” having received her B.A., M.P.A. in Public Affairs, and J.D. from Indiana University.

Architect

Joined board in 2004
Board President 2014-15, 2010-2011, 2015-17
Executive Director April 2011-April 2012

Jeffrey Blydenburgh believes in the power of place. He knows that excellent design can change and enrich peoples’ lives: be it places for work, play, learning, or living.  As an architect, manager and business developer, he looks in new and different directions for solutions based on content.  He helps people understand and identify their needs and then helps them organize to provide the resources to answer the needs with innovation, good creative design, and value.  He paints the future with distinct and relevant clarity.

Jeffrey is a proven leader and strategic thinker with strong knowledge of complex, multi-dimensional organizations and environments.  He has navigated change and growth for several organizations and built their capacities in business development, revenue generation, diversification as well as diversity. He’s a natural (and trained) collaborator who values people and processes and is invigorated by challenges.  He takes complexity and ambiguity and makes sense of it all with vision, strategy and innovative design.

With degrees from Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design and Washington University (St. Louis), Jeffrey has spearheaded projects all over the world.  He currently works with strategic partners to help clients establish project and institutional visions; recent vision plans include the Orlando Museum of Art and the Alfond Inn at Rollins. He served as the vice chairman of a community group to create Vision Winter Park.

His affiliations span his wide interests – serving as President Elect: Rotary Club of Winter Park; Chairman of the Board, Mead Botanical Garden 2014-2017; Member, American Institute of Architects 1980-2017; Member, Orlando Chapter, AIA1980-2017; Full Member, Urban Land Institute 1980-2000; Former Member, International Council, ULI 1995-2000; Former Themed Entertainment Association, Director, 1998; Member, National Trust for Historic Preservation; Leadership Rhode Island, Class of 1980; President, AIA St. Louis 1995.

Honors and awards include AIA Rhode Island Design Award: Davol Square Marketplace, Providence RI 1980; Providence Preservation Society: Davol Square Marketplace 1980; Survey and Planning Grant: Davol Square, Providence; NE Solar Energy Association Passive Solar Design Award: Simmons Building, Providence RI 1978; NE Solar Energy Association Passive Solar Design Award: Energy Efficient 1978; Multi-Family Housing Unit Prototype 1979; Passive Solar Home Award: Lincoln, MA Solar Home 1982; Progressive Architecture Design Award: Laverne College, LaVerne, CA 1971.  He has published articles in “Davol Square,” Preserving New England, Jane Holtz Kay, 1986, “Davol Square,” ULI Project Reference File, ULI, 1985 Second Quarter, “The Marketplace,” Christian Science Monitor, 1/21/83

Community Volunteer, former Science Educator, Tech hobbyist.

Term: #1 2012-2014, #2 2015-2017

Sue joined the board as liaison to Lakes Advisory Board in 2004. Her contributions include communications, planning, learning, serving as Secretary, and chairing the Education Task Force and VP-Program/Place. She and her husband, Steve, are charter members. Sue Foreman is a connector.  She connects people, organizations, causes — and especially innovative ideas. Over her lifetime she has joined with others to create visions and make them come true – through creativity, teamwork and grit.  She connects people and concepts in ways that solve sticky complex problems – or sometimes just have some fun.  Using her experience as a science educator, futurist, civic leader, philanthropist, fundraiser, Imago educator, and knowledge worker, she has helped move projects forward in many fields: education, family support, addiction recovery, faith, conservation, sustainability, peace, justice — and creating opportunity for talented people in our community.

Sue tells stories that enhance systems thinking and inspire effective action.  Her humor and enthusiasm make working with her unexpectedly entertaining. Whether it is policy or organizational structure, the environment, human needs, technology, or new ways of designing solutions, Sue is passionate about learning, service, and being an agent for change for the good. Some of the work is serious but her best days start when she wakes up laughing.

A mountain man named Clint taught her one of her favorite axioms: “Ain’t none of us as smart as all of us.”  On a more technical level, she has seen this idea work, over and over, when facilitating groups with methods that release and capture group genius – processes she first learned from MGTaylor in the mid 1990s. Now she celebrates Valencia and Mead Botanical Garden making leaps forward by harnessing the wisdom of the full team.  To continue to inform this work, her reading list is rich in biographies, faith, history, science, neurobiology of learning, dialogue, philosophy and technology – mental models and systems thinking.

Sue has received the Women’s Resource Center’s Summit Award; twice received the AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals) annual Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser award; and was listed as one of the Winter Park Influentials by Winter Park Magazine.  Previously, mostly for her work with the Parent Resource Center, she received the JC Penny Golden Rule Award; Greater Orlando Chamber of Commerce Community Recognition Award; and the National Volunteer Activist Award.  She has applied her penchant for technology with website work and photography for the League of Women Voters, recovery retreats, reunions, and whenever she shows up with the biggest camera.

Sue is a Gator with a BS in biology and chemistry education, is past chair of the Valencia College Foundation, past chair of 4C and later the 4C Foundation, member of Valencia’s Peace and Justice Institute board, founding member of the original Science Center Guild, the board of Came to Believe Recovery, and founding member of the Winter Park Land Trust. She and Steve have been married 56 years, have two children, Karen and Doug, and five really grand grandchildren.

Seacoast Bank, Vice President & Business Banking

Term: #1 2014-2016; #2 2017-2018

Having grown up in Central Florida, Charlene spent many afternoons enjoying the Garden with her family. Through her company, she has participated in the Duck Derby over the years. Her daughter has served as a camp counselor and son as a volunteer.

WP Garden Club and Community Leader

Founding President
Terms: #1 2013-2015, #2 2016-2018

Beverly and her cohorts gathered the first group of citizens in 2003 and formed the Friends of Mead Garden. She served as the first president and continued to lead as Restoration Committee Chair and most recently as Development Chair.

Community Volunteer

Term #1 2014-2016

Susan has served on the boards of Cornell Fine Arts, Atlantic Center for the Arts, and Orlando Shakespeare Theater. In addition to her experience in the arts, she brings skills in writing and enthusiasm for Garden programming.

Andrea serves as the President/CEO of the Harvey & Carol Massey Foundation as well as Sr. Vice President, Community Relations, for Massey Services, Inc.  In her work with the Foundation, Andrea oversees its daily operations to ensure that its mission and goals are in alignment with the Board’s plans and vision for charitable giving and outreach.  Andrea also manages the strategic community relations efforts for Massey Services and its team members.

Andrea is a fervent advocate for educational advancement and the arts.  She serves on several boards including Orange County CRC Governing Board, Nemours Florida Board of Managers, the Rollins College Hamilton Holt School Advisory Board, the Orlando Shakespeare Theater Board of Trustees, the Winter Park YMCA Family Center Board, and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Board.  She is a 2011 winner of the Woman of Distinction award presented by Girl Scouts of Citrus Council, and also a 2012 nominee for the Orlando Business Journal’s Women to Watch award.  As a deeply rooted Floridian (her family has lived and worked here for over 30 years), Andrea has been the driving force behind many successful volunteer initiatives, including the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast campaign.

Andrea lives in Winter Park with her husband, James, and her twin sons, Ethan and Tedy.

Commercial Real Estate Management

2012-2015 #1

Beverly’s professional designations include a Florida Real Estate License and Masters Degree in Secondary Education from Ball State University. She joined the board in 2011.

Attorney and Mediator

Lyzette is an Attorney and Mediator. Her previous commitment to natural spaces included stewardship for a National Park Foundation. Lyzette has enjoyed the soothing sounds of Mead Botanical Garden since moving to Winter Park 25 years ago. Now a community garden novice, she hopes her devotion to the garden will turn into a better vegetable harvest!