A passionate advocate of public gardens and historic places, Patrick Newman has worked in public gardens since 2006. He holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s of public administration with an emphasis in nonprofit management.

In 2016, he became the Wildflower Center’s executive?director. In this role, he oversees the successful development and implementation of a $5 million annual budget and supervises a staff of 60 brilliant employees and 800 dedicated volunteers. Under his leadership, the Center has increased earned and contributed income, added to its?endowment, and dramatically increased?annual attendance. In addition, he successfully lobbied the Texas?Legislature to officially recognize the?Wildflower Center?as the?Botanic Garden of Texas.

Patrick came to the Center from the University of Utah’s Red Butte Garden, where he was the director of programs. Prior to that, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Azerbaijan, where he taught English and science. In addition to being a self-identified plant nerd, Patrick is also an avid runner, having completed 42 marathons in 26 states. He enjoys reading, being outdoors, and spending time with his wife, their two daughters and their dog, Charlie.

Connect with Patrick on LinkedIn.