Explore, Discover & Engage
Welcome to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden, the iconic living museum, family destination, educational institution, and research center. The new organization brings together BRIT’s fundraising, education, and world-class research capabilities with the Garden’s historically significant grounds, event facilities, and horticultural expertise. Together, FWBG will create one of the leading public gardens in America.
Our Mission
The Mission of Fort Worth Botanic Garden is to:
To explore the critically important world of plants, collaborate to discover the role they play in our cultural and natural environments, and engage people to conserve nature and improve the human experience.
Our Vision
Our Vision reflects our highest aspirations:
To be renowned globally and treasured locally for exceptional and influential research, horticulture, and education.
Our History
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden opened in 1934, making it the oldest major botanic garden in Texas. The Garden was constructed as part of a Depression-era program intended to beautify the community while providing jobs for unemployed Fort Worth workers. The Rose Garden and Rock Springs are the enduring legacy of these community members.
Under the management of the City of Fort Worth, the Garden grew to encompass 110 acres in the heart of the Cultural District and became a local landmark beloved by generations of Texans.
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) began in 1987 as a nonprofit dedicated to overseeing the former Southern Methodist University 450,000-specimen herbarium and 75,000-volume botanical library. Over time, the organization grew to become a renowned scientific research, education, and conservation center with a state-of-the-art molecular and structural lab, conservation seed bank, globally recognized press, and 1.5 million-specimen herbarium.
On October 1, 2020, after two years of successful partnership initiatives, the two organizations combined to become a single nonprofit. Today, the Garden serves as a haven of natural beauty and living museum as well as home to scientists seeking to answer pressing questions about plants and their role in the environment.
Facts
Our Leadership
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Patrick Newman
CEO & President
Leadership
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Bob Byers
Executive Vice President
Leadership
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Ashton Faulds
Vice President of Marketing and Communications
Leadership
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Peter Fritsch, Ph.D.
Vice President of Research & Conservation
BRIT Herbarium Leadership Science and Conservation
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Sara Richardson, CFRE
Vice President for Advancement
Advancement Leadership
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Amy T. Hollenshead
Vice President of Learning and Engagement
Education Leadership
BRIT Foundation Board of Directors
Mr. Ed Bass
Service start: Service start: 2017
Director
Company: President, Fine Line, Inc.
Mr. Aaron Bigbee
Service start: Service start: 2025
Director
Company: Chief Investment Officer, Rainwater Charitable Foundation
Mr. James Day
Service start: Service start: 2020
Board Secretary
Company: Commercial Banking Manager, FW Region Amegy Bank of Texas
Mr. Charles Denison
Service start: Service start: 2021
Board President
Company: Director of Investments & Corporate Development, Virtuoso Travel
Ms. Becky Grimmer
Service start: Service start: 2022
Director
Company: Chief Financial Officer, All Saints’ Episcopal School of Fort Worth
Mr. Bond Malone
Service start: Service start: 2022
Director
Company: Chief Financial Officer, Folsom Point Companies
APPOINTEES
Ms. Keri Barfield
Service start: Service start: 2025
Treasurer*
Company: Chief Financial Officer, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Ms. Hannah Rodrigue
Service start: Service start: 2025
Assistant Secretary*
Company: Executive Assistant, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
*Non-voting member
BRIT Operating Board of Directors
Mr. John Avila
Service start: 2025
Committee Chair: Advancement
Facilities & Operation Committee, Advancement Committee
Compay: Chairman, Thos S. Byrne LTD
Mr. Ed Bass
Service start: 1995
Board Vice Chairperson Finance & Audit Committee
Company: President, Fine Line, Inc.
Mr. Billy Brentlinger
Service start: 2013
Imm. Past Chair
Finance & Audit Committee, Nominating & Governance Committee, Ad Hoc Nature Center Committee
Company: Founder, Advanced Growers Solutions
Mr. Greg Fitzgerald
Service start: 2024
Committee Chair: Education
Education Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Craig Hamilton
Service start: 1996
Board Treasurer
Horticulture Committee, Finance & Audit Committee, Ad Hoc Nature Center Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Mike Malone
Service start: 2020
Committee Chair: Nominating & Governance
Nominating & Governance Committee, Facilities & Operations Committee
Company: Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Ms. Estela Martinez
Service start: 2023
Committee Chair: Marketing
Education Committee, Marketing Committee
Company: Dir. Leisure Sales & Hispanic Partnerships, Visit Fort Worth
Ms. Kristy Odom
Service start: 2023
Board Chairperson
Advancement Committee, Marketing Committee, Nominating & Governance Committee, Executive Committee, Finance & Audit Committee, Ad Hoc Nature Center Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Ms. Debbie Reynolds
Service start: 2021
Committee Chair: Horticulture
Horticulture Committee, Facilities & Operations Committee, Advancement Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Terry Siegel
Service start: 2016
Committee Chair: Facilities & Operations
Facilities & Operations Committee, Finance & Audit Committee, Horticulture Committee
Company: President/CEO, Ventamatic, Ltd.
Mr. William Welder
Service start: 2020
Board Secretary
Finance & Audit Committee, Horticulture Committee, Ad Hoc Nature Center Committee
Company: Founding Principal, Scissortail Group
Mrs. Amy Allen
Service start: 2025
Director
Finance & Audit Committee, Education Committee
Company: Partner, Whitley Penn
Mr. Andrew Allsup
Service start: 2025
Director
Company: Associate, 2112 Capital
Mr. Brad Barnes
Service start: 2010
Director
Facilities & Operations Committee
Company: President & General Manager, Southwestern Exposition & Livestock Show
Mr. Greg Bird
Service start: 2011
Director
Nominating & Governance Committee, Advancement Committee
Company: President, Jetta Operating Co., Inc.
Mr. Steve Brauer
Service start: 2021
Director
Horticulture Committee
Company: Executive Vice President, Hunter Engineering
Mr. Kacey Cornelius
Service start: 2021
Director
Nominating & Governance Committee
Company:SVP Commercial Banking, Frost Bank
Ms. Elizabeth Cornelsen
Service start: 2023
Director
Horticulture Committee, Facilities & Operations Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Jon Cranz
Service start: 2024
Director
Ad Hoc Nature Center Committee
Company: Partner, Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP
Dr. Nowell Donovan
Service start: 2006
Director Emeritus*
Company: Adjunct Professor, Texas Christian University
Mr. Bourke Harvey
Service start: 2024
Director
Facilities & Operations Committee
Company: President, Harvey Holdings
Dr. Doc Holliday
Service start: 2025
Director
Marketing Committee
Company: Doctor of Dental Medicine, Owner, Let it Shine Dental
Ms. Carole Jordan
Service start: 2025
Director
Education Committee
Company: Retired Vice President/Co-Founder, Mozzarella Company
Mr. Clark Kemble
Service start: 2023
Director
Facilities & Operations Committee
Company: Managing Partner, Mediserv
Ms. Gail Landreth
Service start: 2024
Director
Advancement Committee
Company: Community Volunteer, Fort Worth Garden Club
Mrs. Elizabeth McCarthy
Service start: 2025
Director
Education Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Ms. Jesica McEachern
Service start: 2024
Advisory Director*
Education Committee
Company: Assistant City Manager, City of Fort Worth
Mr. Derick Mesch
Service start: 2025
Director
Finance & Audit Committee
Company: Managing Partner, Mesch, PLLC
Ms. Debbie Morrison
Service start: 2025
Director
Marketing Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
Capt. Bob O’Kennon
Service start: 1995
Director Emeritus*
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Pat Reddell
Service start: 2021
Director
Finance & Audit Committee
Company: Senior Portfolio Manager, Senior Vice President, The Money-Sense Team at Morgan Stanley
Ms. Elizabeth Waddill
Service start: 2023
Director
Marketing Committee
Company: Community Volunteer
*Non-voting member
BRIT Landowner Board of Directors
Ms. Colleen Blair
Service start: 2024
Board President
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Craig Elam
Service start: 2024
Board Secretary
Company: Community Volunteer
Ms. Mary Keller
Service start: 2024
Vice President
Company: Community Volunteer
Mr. Richard Zavala
Service start: 2018
Advisory Director*
Company: Director of Parks & Recreation Department, City of Fort Worth
APPOINTEES
Ms. Keri Barfield
2025
Treasurer*
Company: Chief Financial Officer, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
2025
Assistant Secretary*
Company: Executive Assistant, Fort Worth Botanic Garden
*Non-voting member
Visit Us
Take a stroll through our beautiful 120-acre campus.
The Garden is open seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the last admission an hour before closing. The last photography pass is sold two hours before closing.
