Join Cindy Hanauer and Kids Gardening.org Executive Director, Em Shipman, to hear how Em is working to ensure that the next generations of young people become the tidal wave of social and environmental change leaders needed to alter our trajectory and heal our planet and people.
What you’ll learn…
Executive Director, Kids Gardening.org
Em’s vision is grounded in the principle that children are able to realize their full potential when they have access to healthy food and hands-on, outdoor play, and learning opportunities. She is working to ensure the next generations of young people become the tidal wave of social and environmental change leaders needed to alter our trajectory and heal our planet and people.
Em is a nonprofit executive with nearly 20 years of experience leading transformative programs in food systems, agriculture, and education. She holds a B.A. in Public Policy and Anthropology from Hobart and William Smith College and an M.S. in Nonprofit Management from Marlboro College Graduate School.
For as long as Em can remember she has been committed to growing community. She is a passionate advocate for children and the planet and believes that garden-based learning and hands-on, placed-based education benefit both. Em has also worked as a professional gardener and garden designer and spends all of her free time (and then some) digging in the dirt. As a mom of two young boys, Em knows that gardening helps kids:
Em chairs her local school forest committee, volunteers for an award-winning Vermont-based children’s science museum, and sits on the School Garden Support Organization’s (SGSO) Governance Board.
Founder & CEO, Grand Central Floral
Cindy Hanauer is the 4th generation of her family in the floral industry and has achieved 40+ successful years encompassing every retail channel of the business: traditional florist, mass market and e-commerce. Cindy has held executive positions with the largest retailers in the world such as Kroger, Winn-Dixie and 1-800-Flowers, successfully managing both the back-end supply chain for 25+ distribution centers and the customer-facing merchandising and operations teams for 2,500+ retail locations. Her core competencies include business strategies, team reorganizations, disruptive technology launches, operational training, innovative supply chain integrations, e-commerce development and award-winning bottom-line results.
In 2014, Cindy launched Grand Central Floral, a B2B education platform to provide knowledge and information to all sectors of the floriculture community. Cindy has gained international recognition as the most experienced influencer and futuristic visionary in the industry with her website, newsletter and social media platforms followed by 10,000+ members, worldwide.
Cindy shares her expertise with the public through television, radio and speaking appearances and writes frequent columns for numerous industry trade magazines. She offers consultation to global investors and analysts, is a trustee for the American Floral Endowment and volunteers on many industry boards and committees.
In her Northeast Florida community, Cindy works with a group of volunteers who help senior citizens age successfully and independently in their own homes. She is also a philanthropic vocalist and performs with three vocal organizations where 100% of the concert proceeds are donated to local organizations who provide free family services, medical support, dreams and comfort to children with terminal or life-threatening illnesse
The recording can be accessed below. You will also get an email from us shortly with a link to the video so you can watch it any time.
