Meet the Staff
See also : Visitor Information : Volunteer Program
UT Gardens Director - Dr. Susan Hamilton
Dr. Sue Hamilton has been named Director of the University of Tennessee Gardens. Hamilton has worked for the Department of Plant Sciences within the UT Institute of Agriculture since 1983 and served as interim director of the Gardens since July of 2008. She specializes in herbaceous ornamental plants and people-plant relationships.
During Hamilton's tenure as interim director, the Gardens celebrated its 25th anniversary, dedicated the Beall Family Rose Garden, launched the Holiday Express at the UT Gardens and instituted a monthly e-newsletter and a bi-annual magazine to better communicate with the Gardens’ clientele.
As Director, Hamilton’s future plans include developing a master plan for the Gardens. Upon appointing her director, Dr. Joseph DiPietro, UT vice president for agriculture, stated that he is confident that she “will continue to advance the UT Gardens, its programs and outreach efforts.”
Hamilton earned her bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from the University of Tennessee in 1980 and went on to receive her master’s, also in Horticulture, from Ohio State University in 1983. Afterwards, she returned to Tennessee and earned her doctorate in Adult Education in 1995.
Hamilton is committed to educating the public on horticulture and has been honored for her efforts by many different organizations including the East Tennessee Chapter of Professional Journalists and the UT Commission for Women. In 2005 she received the William T. Miles M.D. Memorial Award for Community Service and has been a guest speaker for the UT Honors Program. sueham@utk.edu
UT Gardens Assistant Director, Knoxville - James Newburn
Since 1992, James has put his expertise toward the success of the UT Gardens as we see it today. He received a B.S. in horticulture from UT. He started working for UT as a student in 1992, and became floriculture research greenhouse manager upon his graduation in 1995.
James received an M.S. in Public Horticulture in 2008.
After serving as the UT Gardens Curator since 1999, James is now the Assistant Director. His duties include day-to-day operations of the gardens and training and oversight of garden staff and student interns. jnewburn@utk.edu
UT Gardens Curator, Jackson - Jason Reeves
Jason is Ornamental Horticulture Research Associate at UT's West Tennessee Research and Education Center in Jackson. He creates the various seasonal horticultural displays, conducts research on herbaceous and woody ornamentals, assists with the center's annual field day, Summer Celebration, and supports other educational programs. In addition, Jason serves as a contributing editor to Fine Gardening magazine.
Jason has a B.S. in Agriculture from UT-Martin and an M.S. in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Design from UT Knoxville. He has worked at Opryland Hotel and Conservatories, Missouri Botanical Garden, and Longwood Gardens. He has lived and worked as a horticulturist in New Zealand on two different occasions. jreeves@utk.edu
UT Gardens Education Coordinator - Derrick Stowell
Derrick is an East Tennessee native and currently lives in the Knoxville area with his wife and 5-year-old son. He received his bachelor’s degree from Maryville College in 2003 with a double major in environmental studies and outdoor recreation. After graduating, Derrick spent a year as an AmeriCorps volunteer in Knoxville. There he worked with Ijams Nature Center and its Earth Flag program. He taught environmental education to students in Knox County schools. Derrick went on to complete his master’s degree in therapeutic recreation from UT in 2006. He spent the last five years directing the national camp program for the Amputee Coalition. Some of Derrick’s best memories growing up were helping his father with their backyard garden and koi pond. He is excited about the opportunity to build on the successful programs at the UT Gardens and to provide opportunities for others to create great gardening memories with their families. dstowell@utk.edu
UT Gardens Trials Coordinator - Beth Willis
Beth joined the UT Gardens as the Herb Garden Curator in 2004 while completing her B.S. in Plant Sciences at UT. She continued in that role while pursuing an M.S. in Public Horticulture, while also taking a more active role in the annual trials program as part of her master’s project.
Beth now oversees the production of over 400 cultivars of bedding plants, hanging baskets, and container plants that are used for research purposes and evaluated for performance in the gardens. She is responsible for herbaceous collections in the herb, vegetable, and perennial gardens. She helps to coordinate the UT Gardens Volunteer Program and maintains the UT Gardens website. In addition, Beth is responsible for teaching the Plant and Garden photography class each fall. ewillis2@utk.edu
UT Gardens Horticulturist- Bobby Cook
Bobby is a Knoxville native. He is married with one child. His hobbies are art, music, and vegetable gardening. Bobby enjoys working in the UT Gardens because of the atmosphere of the flowers and the chance to increase personal knowledge. He has worked for UT for a number of years (6 years at the Dairy Farm), but is new to the Gardens.
Beall Family Rose Garden Intern - Ben Ford
Ben is currently a junior majoring in Landscape Design. His interest in gardening was sparked by garden television, and in 2007 he became a member of the Tennessee Master Gardener association. Ben got an exciting opportunity to intern for P. Allen Smith from the Public Television Station in 2010. He was allowed to dabble in each of Allen's companies and has appeared several times on the Garden Home television show. Ben plans on working in Knoxville after he graduates and ultimately hopes to educate others about gardening.
Beall Family Rose Garden Intern - Daniel Moriarty
Daniel is a Knoxville native with a true love for the outdoors. He has almost 10 years of experience in landscape management and installation under his belt. Currently, he is a junior at UT where he is studying Landscape Design and Construction. When Daniel is not furthering his knowledge in landscaping, you can catch him on his skateboard, snowboard, or wakeboard.
Student Horticulturist - Drew Patrick
Drew is an Environmental Science major with a concentration in Construction Sciences. After school, Drew hopes to go into Project Management for a large general contractor. In his spare time, Drew enjoys spending time outdoors doing activities that range from fishing to grilling foods in the summer. Drew brings this love of the outdoors to his work in the UT Gardens.