Suzanne Arney
Volunteer Coordinator
get to know meLane Johnson
Event Sound Coordinator
get to know meCarla Mischel
Membership Coordinator
get to know meCarolyn Hughes
Board Education Coordinator
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The May Arboretum Society is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to the life, growth, and long term sustainability of the Wilbur D. May Arboretum, your arboretum, at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in beautiful downtown Reno. Events, education, lectures and workshops enrich our members, our city, and our society as a whole.
Wilbur D. May Arboretum Hours
Spring/Summer: 8 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Fall (Day after Labor Day to fall time change): 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Winter (Fall time change to spring time change): 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
To get information emailed to you on upcoming events please sign up below.
Suzanne retired after a 35 year career in software development and International Programs, providing secure communications capabilities to U.S. allies and coalition partners for the Navy. Originally from the San Diego area, she recently settled in Reno. Suzanne is an outdoors enthusiast and you can find her most days on local hiking trails with her two dogs. She also enjoys skiing, snow shoeing and stand up paddle boarding.
Suzanne is a lifelong learner, currently pursuing a certification as a Master Gardener in Washoe County. In addition to her interests in gardening, native plants, and art, she is passionate about engaging with kids to promote interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM).
Lane Johnson, Director, grew up across the street from the current Rancho San Rafael Park. As a boy, he would cross the street, crawl through the barbed wire fence, and play in the fields of the ranch. On occasion, they would find the children playing on the property and would run them off with the sound of a shotgun. In a matter of months, Lane and his friends would find themselves back on the ranch exploring and having new adventures. Lane, who continues to live in the same neighborhood, can be found at the May Arboretum at least once, if not two to three times each day and enjoys taking photos of the wildlife, plants, and trees. A life-long Reno resident, Lane is a middle school counselor for the Washoe County School District, working in education for more than 25 years.
Carolyn Hughes is a high school teacher serving 11 years with the Washoe County School District, the last 7 years at McQueen High School in Northwest Reno, teaching Computer Science and Applications. In 2018, Ms. Hughes and her team from UNR created a white paper that was subsequently published in the area of Cyber Security and Drones. In 2021, Carolyn was selected as a part of a 20-person committee tasked with writing the National Educational Standards for Cyber Security. Prior to moving to Reno, Ms. Hughes spent her early career in New York and San Francisco working in finance, then in technology, doing everything from writing sales training manuals, managing department budgets, and managing divisions of Fortune 500 companies. She transferred to Texas to turn around a failing division of a tech company, and although it took less than one year, she remained there for seven and a half years, moving to Reno in 2010. Carolyn is a powerful force in the workplace, and she uses her positive outlook and seemingly boundless energy to work with others and to succeed. In her free time, Carolyn likes to read, cook, knit and spend time with her two Pomeranians.