The work of the Michigan Master Gardener Association is provided by an all-volunteer board and volunteer committees that help guide the organization's communications, membership development and finances.   For more on the structure of the board and the bylaws of the organization, please click here.

To learn more about the organization and opportunities for you to volunteer please contact one of the board members or email us at info@michiganmastergardener.org.

Executive Board Members

NAME AND MMGA POSITIONS: Jackie Manchester-Kempke, President, Communications Committee

PROFESSION: Spanish teacher, retired.

HOBBIES: After years of choral singing and some theatre, my voice has aged out so I stay active volunteering, walking, writing, taking photos of nature to make cards, and gardening.

FAVORITE TRAVEL LOCATION: I really enjoyed visiting Iceland, seeing the Van Gogh and Rodin museums in Amsterdam and Paris, also the Family of Man Museum in Luxembourg curated by Edward Steichen. (He lived in the Keweenaw for a short time as a boy.) Hard to top Lake Superior, though, for relaxation and beauty.

FAVORITE DRINK: I enjoyed mojitos and G&T’s but now a ginger peach rooibos tea latte is my favorite.

WHAT I LIKE TO GROW: I start calendulas and nasturtiums every year, winter over geraniums, and encourage the spread of the hollyhocks; however, my focus is on natives after reading Doug Tallamy’s books.

WHY I GARDEN: My mother passed on her love of growing things to my two sisters and me. My plan is to keep the garden gloves on but I always end up with soil-encrusted nails. Hauling interesting rocks home and using them in the garden is very satisfying. Seeing seedlings finally emerge is exciting. Adding sprigs of thyme, savory, oregano, sage, rosemary, and tarragon to chicken for roasting makes it taste amazing. The garden is a creative yet peaceful place.

NAME AND MMGA POSITIONS: Vicky Diehl, Treasurer

HOMETOWN: Mt. Morris, Michigan

PROFESSION - Infection Prevention Nurse, previously a surgery nurse. Works at the Gladwin and West Branch Hospitals of MyMichigan Health.

PETS: A golden retriever named Higgins.

FAVORITE TRAVEL LOCATION: My favorites have been a great once in a lifetime trip to Italy and a trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to see the solar eclipse of 2017. I frequently visit my brother and sister-in-law’s winery, Stonewall Creek in Tiger, Georgia. It's in a beautiful valley with grapes growing everywhere.

HOBBIES: Gardening and crafts of all kinds.

WHAT I LIKE TO GROW - I love a cottage style Garden with all the old fashioned flowers and am a huge fan of Dahlias and flowering bushes. Herbs are also a passion. I’ve taken ribbons for my dahlias and herbs at the Ogemaw County Fair.

SOMETHING I DON’T CARE FOR: Baseball. It’s ironic the streets in my neighborhood are named after the Detroit Tigers from the 1968 World Series - Freehan, Stanley, Lolich and McLain

FAVORIE DRINK: Iced tea

LOCAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION: Sunrise Side

WHY I GARDEN: It’s a great stress reliever. I love the quiet and the feeling I get when I look over my shoulder at all the pretty flowers. It's not work! It's pure joy!

NAME AND MMGA POSITIONS: Stephanie Bahorski, Secretary, Communications Committee, Membership Engagement Committee, and Membership Renewal Committee

HOMETOWN: Sterling Heights, MI

LOCAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION: Macomb County Master Gardener Association

PETS: Twinkie (cat) and Gremlin (cat)

PROFESSION: Project manager in tobacco regulatory research

HOBBIES: Beekeeping, volunteering with a local cat rescue, fostering kittens, and gardening

FAVORITE TRAVEL LOCATION: Anywhere in the UP!

WHAT I LIKE TO GROW: Any native flowers, shrubs, and trees, but I’m a forever goldenrod girl. I also love to grow tomatoes and fruits like raspberries, blueberries, and aronia berries. I’m adding to my perennial fruit garden every year!

WHY I GARDEN: It’s a therapeutic and creative outlet for me. Being a Master Gardener also allows me to connect with and give back to my community. I’m passionate about increasing biodiversity in our yards, gardening to create quality habitat for insects, birds, and pollinators, and addressing invasive plants in our landscapes. Even adding one or two native plants to our yards can make a difference, and that’s something I want to encourage others to do.

NAME AND MMGA POSITIONS:  Lisa Lane, Volunteer Coordinator, Communications Committee, Instagram Admin

HOMETOWN:  From Detroit, currently residing in Sterling Heights, MI for over 40 years 

LOCAL GARDENING ASSOCIATION: Macomb County Master Gardener Association 

PETS: 1 dog and 2 cats

PROFESSION/OCCUPATION:  Front End Manager at Menards

HOBBIES:  Gardening, scrapbooking and paper-crafting, reading, and journaling 

FAVORITE TRAVEL LOCATION:  I haven’t traveled much, but I love Mackinaw Island, Chicago, and Atlanta

WHAT I LIKE TO GROW:  I love growing flowers, specifically native plants and everything to do with seeds. 

WHY I GARDEN:  I love that something comes from something so small it amazes me. I love providing habitat for wildlife and sharing that knowledge with others and watching them learn new things. My love of gardening started as a child, but the Master Gardener program has allowed me to learn so much and the added benefit of all the friends and experiences I have had is priceless. 

Committee Volunteers

Communications Committee

• Ruth Steele-Walker

• Melville Kennedy (Facebook Admin)

• Valerie Lafferty

• Ilse Schweitzer

Grants Committee

• Frances Paris

• Arlene Marcetti

• Sigrid Streit

Membership Engagement Committee

• Claudia Egan (Book Club Moderator)

• Stan Towers (Education Working Group)

Partners at MSU Extension

Liaison to the Board:  
Dr. Sarah Rautio, State Coordinator
Michigan State University Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Program