2024 Board of Directors

Frances Munoz
Executive Director
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Laurel Vickers
President
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Liz Morrow
Secretary
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Rod Dimmitt
Interim Treasurer,
Legislative Advocate
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Carla Mischel
Director
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Lianne Eberle
Director
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Geoffrey Faries
Director
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Monica Orton
Director
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Want to join our board?

May Arboretum Society Board of Directors are elected annually at our all-member meeting, held during the fourth quarter each year. Those who are elected must have a strong sense of integrity and dedication to implementing our mission.

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Wilbur D. May Arboretum Staff

Luke Sorenson
Horticulturist/Ex-Officio Board Member
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Hannah Hill
Arboretum Education Coordinator
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May Arboretum Society Logo

The Heart of Your Arboretum

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.

  • Thank you, to our Business Partners, for your continued support.
  • Thank you, to our Business Partners,
    for your continued support.

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Frances Munoz

Executive Director

Frances has lived in the Reno/Sparks area for the past 34 years. Her professional background is in retail banking and credit union management. She has been involved with the May Arboretum Society since 2018, first serving on the board as a director and President of the Board for 3.5 years prior to accepting the Executive Director position. Frances is an advocate for mental health and animal rights issues, and her love for travel has taken her to countries all over the world and throughout the US. Through her travels, she has developed a passion for conservation and cultural diversity, as well as a sincere love for where she has been fortunate enough to live her life—the US. Frances enjoys spending time with family, gardening, reading, and visiting sports stadiums to cheer on the local teams as she works toward her goal of visiting every Major League Baseball park in the country.

Laurel Vickers

President

Laurel Vickers is a fourth generation Nevadan and grew up in Gardnerville. She attended the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania where she earned her bachelor’s in business, and then furthered her education by earning her MBA at the University of Texas at Austin. Her career is focused in leading global and domestic companies through complex M&A and HR transformation initiatives. Laurel has a strong passion for traveling and has visited over 40 countries for both work and fun. While traveling, she developed her love for gardening during visits to botanical gardens, parks, and arboretums around the world. She currently serves as the Secretary for the May Arboretum Society.

Liz Morrow

Director

Liz was raised in the Reno/Sparks area and attended the University of Nevada, Reno
where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Liz is also a graduate of The Portland Bible College and is an active member and volunteer in her church. Liz worked in banking since she was a student at the University and retired after 32 years from Wells Fargo Bank. After retiring, she became a Certified Master Gardener through the
Cooperative Extension where she volunteers several hours a month. Her gardening
passions include succulents, growing flowers, fruits and vegetables. Liz also became a
Certified Master Food Preserver through the Cooperative Extension. She and her husband Lance have a son, two beautiful granddaughters and pets which include a dog, backyard chickens and a small fishpond. In addition to gardening, her hobbies include spending time with friends, reading, cooking and traveling—foreign and domestic.

Rod Dimmitt

Interim Treasurer, Legislative Advocate

Rod was born in Denver Colorado, and moved around a lot in his early childhood years, landing in Southern California. He graduated from Villa Park High School, in Orange County, and went to San Jose State University, where he met his lovely wife, Doris. Rod retired from a career in Retailing and Warehousing and Distribution in 2014. Rod has been a Cactus nerd for decades and has an extensive collection of cold hardy cactus that survive the Winters of Northern Nevada. Rod’s goal, since becoming involved with the May Arboretum seven years ago, is to help develop a Cactus and Succulent Garden for the Botanical Garden, where he works as a part-time seasonal and volunteers his time in the off-season. Rod has taken several Eco-tourism trips to see Cactus and Succulents in their native habitats in Mexico and South Africa, not to mention the Desert Southwest.

Carla Mischel

Director
Carla was raised in the deserts of Southern California, where she met her husband, Michael. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. One of her favorite positions was in Human Resources, where she hired workers to test the B-2 bomber at Edwards Air Force Base, California. After her children were school-age, she became an elementary school teacher and the Director of Technology. In this position, she propelled the school to become a “Google Classroom” online school, which left the school in a prime position for remote learning during the pandemic. Carla and her husband moved to Reno in 2017 after falling in love with the area during their many trips to visit their UNR nursing student daughter. She is passionate about traveling, visiting beautiful gardens, photography, and scrapbooking. Carla also enjoys tending to her own garden of vegetables and flowers. Since her time in Reno, she has found the Arboretum to hold many enjoyable surprises on the garden trails with the vast blend of plants and various landscapes the grounds embrace.

Lianne Eberle

Director

As a fourth-generation Nevadan, my roots run deep in the Silver State. Growing up in Gardnerville, surrounded by Nevada’s natural beauty, instilled in me a profound appreciation for the preservation of our state’s precious resources.

While Gardnerville will always hold a special place in my heart, Reno has also played a significant role in shaping my identity. Reno has been my second home, a vibrant hub where I’ve found connection and belonging.

I pursued a degree in Film and Television with a focus on Computer Animation at Chapman University in Orange, California.

Following graduation, I felt a calling to honor the legacy of my family’s military service by enlisting in the United States Navy. Serving in the Navy provided me with opportunities to cultivate leadership, resilience, and adaptability, skills that have continued to shape my personal and professional journey.

Transitioning from the military to the healthcare industry, I’ve channeled my passion for service into supporting the operations of health insurers, pharmacies, and life science companies. In this role, I am dedicated to ensuring access to quality healthcare services for all members of our community.

With a deep love for Nevada and a commitment to preserving its beauty, wildlife, and ecosystems, I am honored to continue my journey of service and stewardship in this remarkable state we call home.

Geoffrey Faries

Director
Born in Chicago and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Geoffrey’s experiences growing up shaped his dedication to personal growth and community involvement. He played college basketball at Pierce College before transferring to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he earned a degree in Business Management and Marketing with a minor in Analytics. Currently, he serves as the Marketing Director for AFC Urgent Care, where he oversees strategic marketing initiatives, community engagement, and brand development to drive business growth and strengthen AFC’s connection with the community. In addition to his professional role, he coaches high school basketball and runs his own travel basketball team, helping young athletes grow both on and off the court. Being so young, Geoffrey believes deeply in the importance of preserving the natural world for future generations. He sees plants and wildlife not just resources they are vital components of a balanced and thriving ecosystem that we all rely on. He is passionate about raising awareness and educating others on the significance of conservation, from protecting endangered species to sustaining the biodiversity that makes our planet so unique.

Monica Orton

Director
Monica Orton is a native of Nevada who earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno. During her time at the Arboretum, where she worked for four seasons, she developed a profound appreciation for the gardens' beauty and tranquility. This experience propelled her into a career in natural resource management, with a focus on invasive species control through her roles with the National Park Service. Subsequently, she attained certification as an arborist while working with a private tree company. In addition to her expertise in natural resources, Monica possesses extensive experience in banking and franchise management. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, hiking, fishing, rockhounding, and attending live music events.

Luke Sorenson

Horticulturist

Luke was born and raised in the Reno area. He spent many hours walking the arboretum as he grew up and now finds himself as the horticulturist in charge of maintaining the grounds.

Luke graduated Cum Laude from Brigham Young University, Idaho with a BS in Horticulture and Plant Sciences. His certification as an arborist was obtained through the International Society of Arboriculture. He is skilled in Arboriculture, Tree Identification, Soil Management, Pruning, Irrigation Management, Lawn Care and the German Language.

Prior to coming to the arboretum, Luke worked for Brightview as a Tree Care Manager, Reed Landscaping as an Operations Manager/Arborist and worked an internship at AgReserves, Inc. as an Agronomist Assistant.

Hannah Hill

Arboretum Education Coordinator

Hannah grew up in Elko, Nevada. She found a love for all things science, but especially biology, in high school. She attended the University of Montana and graduated Summa Cum Laude in spring of 2023 with a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and a B.S. in Ecological Restoration, as well as becoming a University Scholar through the Davidson Honors College. In her time in Montana, Hannah worked as a science educator and camp counselor at the SpectrUM Discovery Area, teaching elementary age students about topics such as robotics, engineering, biology, and chemistry. She also completed research on small stream river restoration and riparian vegetation using beaver dam analogues. Hannah loved her time in Missoula but was ready to return to Nevada. Hannah is a fan of the outdoors, choosing to spend her time bird watching, hiking, and spending time on the water. She also loves taking pictures of her adventures. Hannah joined the arboretum team in May of 2023 as an environmental educator.

Michael Misanik

Environmental Education Intern

Michael Misanik is a lifelong Nevadan, who has  received his associate degree in Environmental Science with a Wildlife Technician Certificate. His enjoyment and knowledge of the natural world is only rivaled by his love of history both local and worldwide. This enjoyment of history and the natural world has been fueled by Michael’s many travels across the United States. Michael has visited 84 museums, 41 different zoos/aquariums, and 60 national park areas. He has studied art and enjoys photographing his travels; this has filled his love for travel. Today Michael works at the Wibur May Arboretum as an intern helping with the educational programs and maintenance of the gardens.