Last weekend, ZBGC Executive Director Holly Hawk joined the women of Zonta Austin at their Roots to Bloom event to honor collective resilience, leadership, and community. Holly shared her story of the Zilker Botanical Garden’s progress and honored the women who have provided a framework for her to grow our programming and impact – read on to see some key moments from her address.
“My journey in leadership has been shaped by incredible women and mentors, perceived failures, big wins and countless detours in my career that have sculpted my leadership.”
“Executive leadership with the Zilker Botanical Garden Conservancy presents unique challenges and opportunities – navigating a public-private partnership, working with diverse stakeholders, and overseeing a living, public asset. It’s incredibly humbling to serve a space I’m so deeply connected to. I’ve walked these paths with my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and I even celebrated my daughter’s first birthday here in the height of COVID.”
“Under our collective stewardship, we’ve successfully completed significant capital improvement projects, making the Garden more beautiful and accessible. We’ve made substantial investments in horticultural uplift, cultivated our first-ever living collection of rare cacti and succulents, established an endowment, and grown our fundraising capacity in support of our mission. Our team has truly championed community engagement through initiatives that bring new energy and support to our organization.”
“I firmly believe in the power of women’s leadership and the profound impact we have on our communities.”
