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Welcome from the Executive Director

The Marin Art and Garden Center is an 11-acre historic property in Ross, California, that is open to the public free of charge from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. The Center is owned and operated by a nonprofit organization governed by a Board of Trustees, and is supported by its community, including individuals, foundations, and businesses who make financial contributions and sponsor events and programs. A small staff oversees daily operations.

Marin Art and Garden Center is a special gathering place that celebrates learning, growth and the beauty of nature; a place to be inspired, educated and entertained—or to just be.

Our vision is to create a sense of pride and connection among the people of Marin—and beyond—in this thriving gathering place of inspiration, growth and celebration.

The Center was founded in 1945 by leaders in the local conservation movement who wanted to save the property from development and foster a community engaged with the arts and gardens. Their vision included a variety of arts and garden groups, some of which still participate in the life of our community today.

Our resident groups offer a variety of experiences for visitors, ranging from theater performances to an historical archive and a playground for young children. All these contribute to the richness of the Marin Art and Garden Center’s engagement with the community.

With its gracious gardens, specimen trees, and water features, the Center is a welcoming environment for visitors to enjoy and a destination for learning. Year-round programs are offered in the arts, gardens, and conservation, including exhibitions, lectures, workshops, and family programs. The Studio is our historic gallery building, and the hub of these activities, with state-of-the-art audio/visual equipment and a sparkling setting for visual arts displays.

Our popular Summer Concert Series is a chance to enjoy beautiful evenings on the Gazebo Lawn with delicious food from local caterers. Special events like our annual Harvest Dinner gather friends to celebrate the season and provide valued support for our programs.

School groups use the Marin Art and Garden Center grounds for programs that immerse children in nature, cultivating an awareness and curiosity that will provide a foundation for lifelong engagement. The Center also hosts The Garden School, a preschool with the gardens and grounds as a classroom.

Marin Art and Garden Center is an ideal setting for special private events, including weddings and celebrations of life. Many local nonprofit groups and public agencies also use our facilities to host regular meetings and presentations.

Nearly 100,000 people visit the Center every year, for all these reasons and more. Your support will help sustain this beautiful historic place for generations to come.

We look forward to seeing you in the gardens.

Antonia Adezio

Executive Director

Staff & Contact

COVID-19 UPDATE

Due to county-wide restrictions, the Marin Art and Garden Center office is currently closed and staff are working remotely. We will make every effort to respond to messages in a timely manner.

Antonia Adezio

Executive Director

Molly Anixt

Development Manager

Ken Cottrell

Facilities Manager

Stacey Kamp

Events Manager

David Santschi

Finance & Administration Manager

Steven Schwager

Garden Manager

CONTACT

Address: 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross, CA 94957
(Please note, there is another 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd in San Anselmo that is NOT the Marin Art and Garden Center.)

Mailing Address: Box 437, Ross, CA 94957

Phone: (415) 455-5260

Fax: (415) 454-0650

Email:  info@maringarden.org

Thank you for taking care of this
beautiful community treasure. 

Enjoy your visit!

Board of Trustees

Diane Doodha

President

As a native San Franciscan Diane grew up appreciating the beauty of Marin and moved here in 1978. She soon discovered the Marin Art and Garden Center and her appreciation for its beauty, history, and relevance to the Marin community has grown with her involvement in the Center. Diane began her career in education and progressed through research, administration and business. She has managed non-profit organizations in the roles of executive director and board member. She worked in marketing and advertising, headed a small business and led workshops and seminars for leaders of business and education. She has promoted the arts, education, ecological sustainability and world peace through volunteer work on boards of directors for both profit and non-profit organizations. In addition to her role as President of the Board, Diane serves on the boards of The University of California Santa Barbara Alumni Association and The Marin Cultural Association. Diane received CVNL’s 2017 Heart of Marin Award for Excellence in Board Leadership.

Thomas (Tom) Ross Perry

Vice President

Tom joined the Board in 2017. A sixth-generation Ross Valley native, Tom is a descendant of Marin pioneer James Ross, as well as George and Annie Worn, the builders of the original estate located on the grounds of the Marin Art and Garden Center. His first job was setting up chairs for the Northgate Ladies luncheons in the early 1960s. He graduated from Sir Francis Drake High School in San Anselmo and went on to earn a BA from Stanford University. He has been a resident of Fairfax for over 40 years and was the co-owner of Sunnyside Nursery in San Anselmo from 1976-2015, retiring as president. Tom has served on the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce, was Chair of the San Anselmo Historical Commission and President of the Drake Scholarship Foundation. He currently serves on the Marin County Integrated Pest Management Commission. His interests include music and photography, and he has written and lectured on subjects ranging from gardening to local and family history

Pamela Scott

Secretary

Robert (Robin) P. MacNaughton

Treasurer

Robin has been on the Board of Trustees since 2011 and currently holds the post of Treasurer. He graduated from Stanford, is retired from Mechanics Bank, and is an avid tennis player in his spare time. Robin’s favorite thing about Marin Art and Garden Center is what it brings to the community, and its potential to bring so much more.

Robert Beadle

Member

Robert is a native Marinite, having first enjoyed Marin Art and Garden Center when it housed the Marin County Fair prior to its move to the Civic Center. His mother, Easter, was a valued volunteer for the Northgate Group and Laurel House Antiques. Robert has lived and traveled throughout the world, but the deep-water channel in the Larkspur Marina has been his home for many years. He been a real estate broker for just under 40 years with Coldwell Banker, as a charter member of the International President Top 1% in Production Nationwide. Robert has been a Hospice by the Bay Board member for 16 years, and spent five years as President of Friends of Hospice. He is the recipient of the 2013 Dee Fahy Volunteer Achievement Award and the Spirit of Marin Award in 2003. He joined the Board in July 2019.

Andrew (Andy) Evans

Member

Andy has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2014 and is the current Chair of the Development Committee. He received his BA from Parsons School of Business, and works in the fields of real estate and agriculture investments and equities. His children loved Pixie Park when they were young, and now Andy enjoys golf, skiing, hiking and fishing, as well as Marin Art and Garden Center's peaceful beauty.

Jessica Fairchild

Member

Jessica joined the Board of Trustees in 2011. She grew up in Kentfield and attended Ross school, as did her own children. She holds a BA in Art History from UC Santa Cruz, and a Masters of Architecture from UCLA, and now leads her own firm, Fairchild Broms Design. A member of the American Institute of Architects SF, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Pacific Horticulture Society, Jessica has a background in architectural history and experience with adaptive re-use projects, often involving historic buildings. Jessica also holds a credential from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Certification Institute. She enjoys hiking, gardening and cooking, and particularly values Marin Art and Garden Center's quiet sense of place and history.

James (Jim) Kaufmann

Member

Jim Kauffman joined the Board in April 2018. He held a 37-year career with Marriott, until March 2015, upon which he was President of Full Service Hotels in US and Canada. He currently serves on the Board of the Michigan State School of Hospitality Alumni Association, USF School of Hospitality Advisory Board, Family House, and Snowhite Hospitality. Jim and his wife Ann and live in Ross and have for 21 years. They have a  daughter Kate who lives in NYC and a son Jack who lives in Chicago. His hobbies include biking, tennis, golf , going to the movies, and traveling with Ann. What he love about Marin Art and Garden Center is its charm and beauty; walking the grounds on a bright sunny day is heaven.

Jordan Lavinsky

Member

Jordan is a real estate partner at Hanson Bridgett LLP, a law firm based in San Francisco, with offices in San Rafael, Sacramento, Walnut Creek and Los Angeles. He represents shopping centers, property owners, office building managers and developers in landlord-tenant, land use, construction and bankruptcy matters. Jordan also serves on the board of North Bay Leadership Council and teaches a law class in the Hospitality Management Department at San Francisco State University. Originally from Philadelphia and Los Angeles, Jordan has lived in Marin since 2000 with his three children. When he is not on the sidelines of his children’s games, Jordan enjoys music, traveling, skiing, and mountain biking.

Edison (Ed) Lewis

Member

Since 1987 Ed has run the property management division of Keegan & Coppin, the North Bay’s largest commercial real estate brokerage company. Ed has served on a number of non-profit boards. For seven years he was on the Board of the Marin Center for Independent Living, three of which as President. For about twelve years he has served on the Lifehouse Community Housing Partnership Board which manages five properties housing disabled individuals. As a fourth generation resident of Ross/Kentfield, Ed looks forward to continuing his responsibilities on the Marin Art and Garden Center Board as Vice President, Chair of the Nominating Committee, and as a member of the Operations Committee. There is so much work yet to be done to make the Center all it can be.

Bob Mayer

Member

Bob joined the Board in 2020. A graduate of UC Berkeley and the University of Washington, Seattle, he has been involved in software development and publishing since the early 1980s. He is currently the President and CEO of IMSI/Design and Encore Software. Since 2012, he has served on the Board of Directors of Open Design Alliance (ODA). For 15 years, Bob has been the volunteer coach and program coordinator for the San Quentin State Prison softball team. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, beekeeping, road and mountain biking, and duplicate bridge.

Edward (Ned) Purdom

Member

Ned is a fourth-generation Marin resident with family branches in California going back to the Spanish and Gold Rush eras. After a career as a public relations professional, he taught high school English for 15 years, and was recognized as the Albany Unified School District Teacher of the Year in 2006. An active volunteer with Bridge the Gap in Marin City where he is an English and social studies tutor, Ned also works with Marin CASA, advocating for children’s needs in the Marin County Dependency court. He is an avid gardener, hiker, and enjoys writing and photography. He joined the Board in July 2019, and says the Marin Art and Garden Center “is a wonderful community resource for learning about our natural and aesthetic worlds and for celebrating friendships – new and old.”

Financial Information

Marin Art and Garden Center is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and contributions are tax-deductible.
Our tax ID number is 94-1085734.

2017

Annual Report

Audited Financial Statement

Form 990

2018

Annual Report

Audited Financial Statement

Form 990

2019

Audited Financial Statement

Form 990

Please call (415) 455-5260 if you have questions regarding any of these financial documents.

Employment opportunities

The Marin Art & Garden Center is a treasured resource which provides a relaxing environment for our guests as well as beautiful surroundings in which to work.  We are an independent non-profit organization that celebrates learning, growth and the beauty of nature; this is a place to be inspired, educated and entertained—or to just be.

Marin Art and Garden Center is an equal opportunity employer, committed to recruiting, hiring and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds regardless of  race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

There are currently no vacancies; please check back for future opportunities.

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