Advisory Council

Mission: To provide support, advocacy, and stewardship for

The Conservatory of Flowers

Steven Brown

Steven has been an enthusiast of the Conservatory since his first visit at the age of 13. He is currently Department Chair of the Environmental Horticulture/Floristry Department at City College of San Francisco. Steven is pleased to support and serve on the Advisory Council.

Davis Dalbok

Davis is a principal with Living Green Plantscape Design (www.livinggreen.com). Living Green has been creating notable gardens throughout the Bay Area and beyond for over 30 years, and has built solid relationships with landscape contractors, arborists, masons and irrigation specialists. Palms are of particular interest to Davis and he is always on the lookout for interesting specimens for the Palm Court.

Barbara Derich

Barbara is a retired elementary school principal and now an active volunteer with the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley and the Marin Master Gardeners. She enjoys serving on the Conservatory Advisory Council and consulting with the education team.

Jason Dewees

Jason is a horticulturalist and palm expert at Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco's Bayview District. A former member of the California Horticultural Society Council, he is a longtime volunteer and consultant for the Conservatory of Flowers and the San Francisco Botanical Garden. He has written for Garden Design magazine.

Judy Fayollat

Judy originally volunteered as a docent to lead tours of the COF and provides valuable visitor input to ensure we meet and exceed our visitors expectations. She thoroughly enjoys leading our visitors on a world wide trip through the tropics where she introduces them to our very special plants, unusual pots, the history of the COF and the Special Exhibits Gallery, which always brings out the smiles whether it be the butterflies, carnivorous plants (CHOMP), the trains or all the edible plants currently being exhibited.

Pat Hanson Thompson

Pat is an active community volunteer as a member of the San Francisco Garden Club, Bouquets to Art, de Young Museum Auxiliary and the Bouquets to Art committee

Lisa Harris

Immediate Past President of the San Francisco Garden Club and self-professed lover of flowers, plants, trees and anything that has to do with the beautiful Conservatory of Flowers. Lisa is also a past Board member of the Metropolitan Club, current Chair of the San Francisco Garden Clubs' annual benefit: Autumn Floral Fete and the Exhibitors Co-Chair at Bouquets to Art.

Lola Heer

Lola has been a member of the San Francisco Garden Club for a very long time. She looks upon the Garden Club’s mission as a benevolent guardian of the Conservatory.

Saxon Holt

Saxon Holt is a garden photographer and owner of the PhotoBotanic garden library. (http://www.saxonholt.com). His work with the Conservatory is advising on media issues and is working to establish a visual art exhibit area for local artists.

Terry Nevin

My association with the Conservatory of Flowers began when I was a little girl and our family would visit the Conservatory quite often. Over the years I would bring my children to visit and now I am blessed to bring my grandchildren for a visit. They loved the butterfly and train exhibit. It such a special place in our hearts.

Ernie Ng

I have always enjoyed my many visits to the Conservatory of Flowers before its closing from the storm in 1995. I was privileged to become a docent at the Conservatory when it reopened in 2003 so that I can share my love of plants, this beautiful building and the marvelous display of tropical plants with our visitors.

Bob Otsuka

General Manager & Executive Vice President of the San Francisco Flower Mart, representing growers, wholesalers & retailers in the floricultural industry.

Bruce Rogers

Bruce Rogers has been in the orchid business for over 25 years. He is the owner of Bruce Rogers Orchids (www.brucerogersorchids.com) and co-owner of OzGardens (www.ozgardens.com). Bruce acts as a consultant for the Conservatory's extensive orchid collection and assists with fundraising.

Nancy Stoltz

Nancy Stoltz is an architect and planner with a practice focused on historic preservation. She consults on a wide range of historic preservation and restoration projects and served as a member of the FEMA team that evaluated the plans to restore the Conservatory in 1999. She is working toward adoption of a maintenance plan for the Conservatory to help ensure that this unique building will continue to provide shelter and delight for all its occupants, the rooted and the rootless.

Colette Weil Parrinello

Colette is managing director of the independent consulting firm, Summit Marketing, (www.summitmktg.com). Her passion is to share the wonder and beauty of Golden Gate Park. She’s an avid runner, nature-lover and hiker. What better place to do all than in Golden Gate Park! She assists the Conservatory by advising on marketing strategies, ideas, fundraising and tactics. She was privileged to be the co-chair of the Conservatory’s First Golden Gate Express Garden Railway fundraising GALA.