Connecting children to nature to create a more beautiful, resilient, and just world.
Welcome to the Garden
What is Ithaca Children’s Garden?
Ithaca Children’s Garden is an award-winning, 3-acre public children’s garden designed for kids, enjoyed by all, and driven by a mission to connect children to nature to create a more beautiful, resilient and just world.
Our Values
The Garden is deeply rooted in these 5 values
Child-Centered by employing playwork philosophy and practice and embracing the 4 core values of the Circle of Courage: independence, mastery, belonging, and generosity to foster positive youth development.
Inclusive, safe, and committed to becoming a MULTICULTURAL organization that challenges racist power structures.
Collaborative by partnering with community agencies, individuals, and other field leaders to develop synergies and build on collective strengths.
Innovative by continuous development, evaluation, learning, reflection and improvement in our work, bringing a spirit of positivity in all things.
Ecologically-Centered by practicing and demonstrating ecologically sensitive methods of land-care and people-care and interpreting the benefits of such practices to visitors and program participants.
Our Philosophy
Innovative Play at Work
Permaculture, playwork, and child-directed learning are cornerstones of our approach, along with a commitment to an inclusive environment that values and respects diversity of culture and identity. Extensive cross sector-collaborations help extend and deepen ICG’s impact.
Why Play?
The Importance of Play in Nature
ICG has always seen outdoor immersion and adventure play as highly valuable. Researchers, childhood development experts, psychologists, educational professionals, and social activists are beginning to realize it too. Check out some of the empirical evidence supporting the benefits of unstructured play and outdoor time.
Meet the people that help make ICG grow!
ICG Team Members
The Garden thrives with love and help from our team, Board of Directors, and dedicated committee members!
Meet our ICG team!
Erin Marteal
she/her
Development Director & Interim Executive Director
Erin returns to ICG with 13 years of nonprofit development and leadership experience, having served over a decade as ICG’s executive director. During her first tenure, Erin grew the organization from a one-person agency to a 10-person team and regional tourism destination serving 70,000+ visitors annually. Erin has served as the annual giving manager for a Kenya-based wildlife conservancy and is also CEO of Marteal Consulting, a company dedicated to supporting new nonprofit leaders and their organizations. Erin earned her Master’s in Public Garden Leadership from Cornell University. She was the recipient of the Cornell Dreer Award and has been recognized by the American Public Gardens Association as a leader in the field of public horticulture. Connecting children, families, and all people to nature is close to Erin’s heart. In her free time, Erin can be found salsa dancing, hiking, and thrift store shopping.
Email Erin
Robin Cochell
she/her
Operations Manager
Robin’s love for nature began early. She had spent much of her childhood in major cities, so when her family moved to the Ithaca area, the land’s beauty had her in awe. Her parents regularly took her and her siblings hiking and instilled a lifelong passion for the outdoors. She considers herself lucky to have had her parents as influences. They inspired her to volunteer, work for socially responsible institutions, and be environmentally conscious. She once owned and operated a restaurant and has a solid banking and customer service background. She is happy to be a part of the Ithaca Children’s Garden and looks forward to utilizing her life experiences to serve the Ithaca community.
Email Robin
Kelsey Brewster
she/her
Education Director
With freedom to explore the outdoors as a child, Kelsey has dedicated her adulthood to providing the same to children in a preschool setting. Her favorite activities to do with the children in her care are to spot tracks in the snow and mud, search for newly emerging mushrooms, and look for arthropods in the creek. She can also be found adorning the kids with vine crowns and constructing fairy houses. On her own, she loves to find the quiet places in the forest to sit with a book or journal. She continues her education through Eastern Regional Association of Forest And Nature Schools.
Trey Ramsey
they/them
Outreach & Inclusion Manager
Public gardens are the perfect place for Trey to combine their love of the outdoors with their passion for education and social justice. They have years of working with plants and insects, fighting for LGBTQ justice, and trying to make the world a greener, more welcoming place. Trey recently completed their Master’s degree in Cornell’s Public Garden Leadership program and is thrilled to bring their experience and passion to Ithaca Children’s Garden. Outside of work, Trey enjoys hiking, gardening, LEGOs, and Dungeons and Dragons.
Email Trey
Jason McClevish
he/him
Facilities Manager
Treasuring time with his family and nature in western PA as a child has carried on into the now, where he lives in the wilds of Danby with the next generation. He is ecstatic to be part of the vibrant community at ICG that has supported the joyful development of his children through programs and leisure.
Email Jason
Grace Heath
she/her
Nature Preschool Co-Lead
Driving past Ithaca Children’s Garden on her move to Ithaca this summer, Grace was amazed by Gaia and had to know what else the Garden had to offer and is now excited to be a part of the team as a summer playworker. While Grace received her undergraduate degree in American Studies, she has always been interested in the field of education, having been drawn to children’s natural curiosity and creativity towards the world around them. She is excited to work with the kids this summer and be able to work in such an amazing outdoor space where she can partake in one of her favorite activities: Birdwatching. Grace has been an avid Birdwatcher since she was young, even naming her beloved cat Birdie!
Email Grace
Annika Ross
she/they
Youth Program Educator
Whether gardening with kids, playing in a waterfall, or talking to a kid about that weird bug they just found, Annika is passionate about connecting young people to nature. In her free time, she loves walking in forests, swimming in creeks, finding new plant species, and reading a good book. She is excited to keep working with the garden through the After School Program!
Email Annika
Noa Shapiro-Tamir
she/her
After School Program Educator
Noa is thrilled to bring her delight for plants, people, and playfulness into Ithaca Children’s Garden. She has been mentored by many gardeners, farmers, scientists, educators, and theater kids and brings their wisdom into her playwork. She loves traveling on rivers, introducing people to each other, cooking large pots of mystery ingredients, and stomping on leaves and in puddles with her big black boots.
Email Noa
Sarah Marquart
she/her
Communications Coordinator
Sarah is excited to be a part of ICG, an organization that perfectly aligns with her passion for making a real impact in the local community and nurturing future environmental leaders. With a decade of experience in content strategy and marketing, Sarah’s journey started at Keuka College, where she was instrumental in their $30M outreach campaign. She was also on the founding editorial team at Futurism, where she helped drive growth, launched new products, and reported on rocket launches from The Kennedy Space Center. Her past client roster includes Porsche, the NFL, and IBM, as well as former Vice President Al Gore. Currently, she consults and creates content for Cornell Tech, and Cornell Bowers CIS. Beyond work, Sarah loves gardening, hiking, painting, and volunteering at the SPCA.
Email Sarah
Caro Ryan
Assistant Educator/Playworker for Playful Nature Explorers
Caro previously worked at summer camp for ICG as a Playworker and After Care Mentor. They are extremely excited to build relationships with the children and support their self-led exploration. Caro has a BS in Biology & Society from Cornell, is Wilderness First Aid certified, and loves all dogs (but loves rescue dogs MORE). In their free time, they love to perform and make art.
Email Caro
Brock Gibian
President, Board of Directors
Born and raised in Ithaca, Brock is an avid gardener, landscaper and general outdoorsman. He hopes to create greater and more equitable access to ICG and nature – because he knows first-hand that places such as ICG are sometimes the only place for someone to dream about a different world and reach towards it.
Iris Packman
Vice President, Board of Directors
Growing up with limited means, Iris didn’t always have access to natural areas, so she feels especially passionate about ICG’s equity and inclusion initiatives which ensure that nature is a right for all children.
Harriet Becker
Co-founder, Board of Directors
Harriet, inspired by her love of children, art and gardening, has worked along with the ICG Team since its beginnings. She appreciates the ongoing collaborative creative additions to the programs and landscape, and is delighted that so many children feel the Garden is their very own.
Perry Gorgen
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Perry Gorgen is a long-time educator and outdoor enthusiast. Upon moving to Ithaca in 2017, he and his family were immediately charmed by ICG and have visited regularly ever since. He is thrilled to support ICG as a member of the Board of Directors and hopes to help grow its wonderful impact on the community.
Liz Kinast
Secretary, Board of Directors
Liz is thrilled to contribute her experience to ICG, where her passions for nature and early childhood converge. Liz enjoys running, raising chickens, and just about anything else outdoors, and is raising her daughters to love getting a little dirty, too.
Jenna Hallas
Board of Directors
As a teacher at Beverly J. Martin Elementary School, Jenna uses her passion to expose children to nature by incorporating outdoor activities, such as hikes and walks, into class. Jenna also enjoys cycling and often rides her bike to the Garden. As a Board member and Chair of the Education Committee, she is excited to support ICG’s mission and help more kids in the community access its fantastic resources.
Kate Travis
Board of Directors
Kate and her husband Frost have lived in Ithaca since 2007 and have two boys. Her interests are anything to do with kids, the arts, education, food and cooking, and the Ithaca community.
PJ Moran
Board of Directors
Currently the leader of the Kindergarten and First Grade programs at Greater Ithaca Activities Center, PJ’s collaborations and outings are often at or with the Ithaca Children’s Garden. As a member of ICG’s Board of Directors and Education Committee, he is excited to contribute to the growth and development of the Garden for the community’s children.
Sarah Fiorello
Board of Directors
Sarah fell in love with the natural beauty and community of Ithaca during her undergraduate years at Cornell and has lived in Ithaca ever since. She has been fortunate to experience Ithaca Children’s Garden growth along with her children and is delighted to give back as a board member and chair of the Interpretation Committee.
Sarah Gunther
Board of Directors
Sarah witnesses the joy and muddy magic of ICG when she picks her eldest child up at the After-School program. She deeply appreciates ICG’s commitment to making those experiences accessible to all children. She is thrilled to give back to ICG as a Board Member and help realize a world where all children can play, grow, and thrive in nature.
Beth Anderson
Development Committee
Beth Anderson retired in 2019 after working 31 years at Cornell in alumni affairs, development and communications, including 11 years at Cornell Botanic Gardens. She has served on ICG’s development committee since it was initiated, and is committed to helping the organization grow forward in its mission. Beth’s sons enjoyed climbing on Gaia when they were boys, and she now loves to bring her grandchildren to the Garden to explore, learn, and play.
Sean Campbell
Communications Committee
Sean is the Marketing Coordinator for Finger Lakes ReUse. He has been with ReUse since 2016 after moving to Ithaca from Los Angeles. Some of his interests are comic books, sports and amateur photography (especially of the Ithaca Children’s Garden). Sean discovered ICG while taking his son on a long walk after moving to here and it was the first time he really “got it” about Ithaca.
Tom Cole
Finance Committee
Tom has been involved with ICG in a variety of capacities – committee member, volunteer, parent, visitor – since its inception. He is an assistant dean at Cornell’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning, is married to Meg Cole (see development committee), and is the proud father of three amazing young women.
Todd Edmonds
Interpretation Committee
Todd has nearly 40 years of experience in the design industry, helping clients visualize their stories and identities through branding and communications design. Todd graduated from the School of Visual Arts in 1986, and has been CEO and Creative Director of Iron Design since its inception.
Sarah Fiorello
Interpretation Committee
Sarah is passionate about providing people with meaningful ways to connect with nature through interpretation (outdoor signs, exhibits, brochures, self-guided tours, and more). She spent the first nine years of her career leading interpretive guided tours within New York State Parks of the Finger Lakes Region and has been the Interpretation Coordinator for Cornell Botanic Gardens since 2007.
Dan Klein
Site Committee
Dan Klein represents Danby and Caroline on the Tompkins County Legislature, is President of the Greensprings Natural Cemetery board of directors, and is Chair of the TCAT board of directors. He has been involved in various small ways with Ithaca Children’s Garden since Day 1.
Glen Robertson
DEI Committee
Glen Robertson runs Ability in Bloom, a program of Challenge Workforce Solutions, that uses flower farming to teach work skills to adults and teens with barriers to employment. Glen has always loved ICG as a safe, beautiful place to explore with his now teenage daughter and appreciates the garden’s accessibility for Challenge clients.
Join our team!
ICG Employment Opportunities
Interested in joining the ICG team? ICG seeks individuals committed to equity and anti-racism, people, and the planet. We love meeting folks with enthusiasm for innovation, environmental education, youth development, nonprofit excellence, public garden leadership, and community wellness. ICG is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
A special Thank You to Our
Key Partners & Sponsors
Faces of Philanthropy
Why do you love & support The Garden?
Photographer Sarah Clapp asked this question to some of ICG’s incredible members, partners, and Garden enthusiasts, and the outcome was simply beautiful. The resulting exhibition, Photographing Philanthropy for the Love of Humanity, debuted at ICG’s 2017 Annual Celebration and perfectly encapsulates the role of the Garden in the lives and hearts of ICG devotees. See for yourself!
“Over the years we have had the opportunity to work on all sorts of little projects with the Garden from taking part in the turtle naming committee to leaf-printing to painting any and every [new Garden element] that needed it. Being involved and staying involved has been a family affair.”
Chew Family
“The Garden is serving an amazing purpose in our community and I’ve been lucky enough to be hands on with the Garden from the beginning. I remember slogging out there when there was nothing and we were building the turtle, lining the pond and replanting cattails. I remember mudding the walls of the Troll House. I believe the Garden is an opportunity for children to experience nature and plants within our city.”
Monika
“My work with GIAC has evolved into working with creative play and that is what Ithaca Children’s Garden truly fosters, creative play with the natural world. Thanks to the Garden, I am able to further develop relationships with children who in turn develop and relationship with this awesome [organization]. I feel like a true friend to the Garden.”
