AHTA Board of Directors Nominations & Governance

HELP SELECT THE FUTURE LEADERS OF AHTA!

There are 5 open positions for the 2026–2029 Directors-at-Large. Voting is open until Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM PT. As a current, eligible member of AHTA, you may access the electronic ballot using your member login on our website.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 1: Mattie Cryer, LCSW, HTR, CBIS

Working in Horticultural Therapy is a dream and it would be an honor to serve my peers and colleagues through service on the AHTA Board of Directors. I am the Bilingual Horticultural Therapist at Craig Hospital, a leading neurorehabilitation hospital, in Englewood, Colorado and my background is in community-based social work. In undergrad, I studied Spanish and wove nature-based learning and exploration into studies at Southwestern University and afterward in Posadas, Misiones, Argentina as a Fulbright Award grantee. Graduating from the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver with a focus on immigration reform and environmental justice, I have extensive experience blending environmental care, food justice, and work with immigrant populations through all levels of non-profit organizations.

Upon completing the Horticultural Therapy Institute courses, I volunteered my time at the City Park Farmer’s Market for two seasons, providing free, community-based therapeutic horticulture and garden education for families. I now work at Craig Hospital as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) with patients that have sustained a brain and/or spinal cord injury in both the indoor and outdoor setting. I continue to grow and enrich the program to diversify the ways in which patients and family members can participate and receive benefits of horticultural therapy. I have grown the program’s community presence through education, conferences, community partnerships, and contribution to peer-reviewed literature through formal research studies at the hospital. Through other personal interests and certifications, I have also woven principles from biophilic design, permaculture, and herbalism into the Horticultural Therapy program to serve patients and staff across the hospital community. The program has offered opportunity to design a new therapeutic garden alongside hospital architects and build a new indoor greenhouse space. Additionally, I work as a freelance Horticultural Therapy Consultant for individuals and organizations, providing consultations for biophilic design, therapeutic gardens, and program design.

This profession aligns deeply with my passions and values. It is a joy to contribute to the world in a way that honors my people and plant neighbors. In my free time, I can be found gardening, walking my dogs, and reading. I will contribute vastly to the AHTA’s Board of Directors with direct experience in non-profit management, clinical research, creative program development, and organizational future-planning. My unique blend of hands-on experience and talents will lend itself to intentionally shaping our field as we transition into the new territories that come with change and growth. Horticultural therapy is a modality that can serve every person on our planet, and my priorities align with holistically supporting professionals who deliver services as well as protecting our environment. This profession holds the unique power to heal people and planet in tandem; I will contribute to building the industry infrastructure that allows healing to flourish.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 2: Cynthia M. Domenghini, Ph.D.

Cynthia M. Domenghini is an instructor at Kansas State University with expertise in horticulture, education, and community outreach. She earned her B.S. in horticulture from California Polytechnic State University and her MAT from Chapman University. Cynthia studied under Dr. Candice Shoemaker while earning her Ph.D. in horticulture with a concentration in human issues in horticulture from Kansas State University. Her research with Dr. Shoemaker focused on the health benefits of gardening for youth. Cynthia returned to K-State as an instructor in 2022 and has since developed and launched an online, asynchronous certificate in therapeutic horticulture that expanded interdisciplinary enrollment and positioned the university to reclaim its relevance in therapeutic horticulture education. In June of 2026, Cynthia led the university’s first study abroad program entirely focused on therapeutic horticulture in partnership with an elementary school in Panajachel, Guatemala. This certificate and study abroad experience enables students to gain hands-on experience applying TH concepts with a range of populations as we work with youth, educators, and families in the community.

Cynthia also teaches in person classes with a plant science focus. She conducts research to evaluate the benefits of connecting non-horticulture majors with horticulture in terms of recruitment and retention. This has led to an increase in the number of students taking additional horticulture courses and students who have added a horticulture minor to their program of study. For the past two years Cynthia has led a grant funded through the American Floral Endowment increasing high school students’ access to professional training in floral design to promote career readiness and connections to horticulture. She is at the preliminary stages of a project that will provide therapeutic horticulture for veterans and another program that will provide therapeutic horticulture workshops for survivors of domestic violence on the K-State campus.

Cynthia’s work integrates gardening, health, and education, with a focus on youth development and community well-being. She has extensive experience in curriculum development, research, and public engagement, and regularly presents at conferences and locally within her community. She is an active writer, providing accessible, research-based gardening information to diverse audiences through newsletters and various media outlets as well as journal publications. Cynthia serves at the national level on various committees advancing horticulture for graduate and undergraduate students as well as community stakeholders. She is a high-energy leader who thrives in collaborative environments. She would proudly serve on the AHTA board and use her background knowledge and skills to support the mission of the organization. Her experience with recruitment and retention would be useful to encourage participation from members while recruiting up and coming HIH professionals to get involved.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 3: Lara Wirtz Fahnestock, BA, THP candidate

Lara Wirtz Fahnestock has firsthand experience with the healing power of nature and gardens. After a traumatic accident in her 20s, Lara turned to gardening to support her physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This lived experience led to her current role as Director of Therapeutic Gardens at Denver Urban Gardens (DUG). In this role, she oversees DUG’s therapeutic gardens, from initial construction and sensory garden planting to training on-site staff and delivering therapeutic gardening workshops for participants. DUG has the largest network of community gardens in the US. In her eleven years at the organization, Lara has stewarded volunteers, written grants, taught workshops on gardening and well-being, and worked with a diverse network of landowners and community partners.

In 2022, when DUG received a grant to start a garden program specifically for youth with disabilities or who have experienced abuse and trauma (often excluded from natural spaces due to access or stigma), Lara co-led the initiative. With a multidisciplinary Advisory Committee, DUG launched four therapeutic gardens and completed the first draft of a therapeutic garden playbook. Lara is a 2024 graduate of the Horticultural Therapy Institute, holds a Biology/Pre-Med degree from Colorado College, is a Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in trauma-informed care, and trained at the Naropa Institute. She will complete the requirements for HT-BC Certification this fall. She served on the American Community Garden Board of Directors from 2022 to 2024 and is currently part of the AHTA Conference Committee. As an AHTA Board member, Lara will draw on her lived experience, professional skills, and genuine joy in connecting with people and plants to serve the AHTA Board as needed, with the goal of ensuring that horticultural therapy is recognized as a vital, evidence-based component of health and well-being.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 4: Dr. Ivette Ruiz, Ph.D., MHS, HS-BCP

Dr. Ivette Ruiz, Ph.D., MHS, HS-BCP is an international speaker, a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) survivor, a certified life coach, and the Founder of Healing By Growing®. Uniquely bridging healthcare, academia, and agriculture, Dr. Ruiz brings over two decades of experience managing diverse healthcare systems alongside a professional background as a nurse and social worker. An expert agricultural consultant, she works directly with federal agencies including the USDA and NRCS, advising on equity, cross-disability accessibility, and support for underserved producers. She also collaborates with university extension programs and is brought in annually to lecture at the Yale School of Nursing and the Yale School of the Environment on how her models heal communities. Out of thousands of applicants, her innovative model was named the first-place winner of the prestigious Yale University Civic Innovation Prize. As an agrarian innovator, she has scaled a transnational network of over 14 non-clinical, trademarked Healing By Growing® Healing Gardens across the United States, Puerto Rico, and Nigeria.

Distinct from traditional community gardens, these universally accessible green therapy sanctuaries prioritize community healing over food production. They are free, open spaces designed to care for the person and their spirit while simultaneously rejuvenating the land. These gardens serve as vital hubs for environmental education, teaching participants about soil health, pollinators, and ecosystems. Her profound community impact has been featured by NPR, FOX News, and ABC News, as well as in numerous podcasts, radio shows, newspapers, a book feature, and an upcoming documentary currently in production. In May 2026, she received an official Proclamation Award at her organization's 4th Annual National Conference for uniting green therapy, mental health, and food security, and in June 2026, she was nominated for Connecticut’s Seven Seeds Award for using food and nature as medicine to build a more just food system.

When elected to the American Horticultural Therapy Association (AHTA) Board of Directors, Dr. Ruiz will channel her rare blend of healthcare management, federal consulting, and international agrarian experience into advancing the board's strategic vision. Having recently presented for the AHTA, she is fueled to bring an impactful blueprint for community transformation to the board's leadership. Guided by her core philosophy, "Healing the Grower to Heal the Community", she is dedicated to expanding non-clinical therapeutic agriculture, bridging complex system insights with grassroots accessibility across underserved spaces ranging from home balconies and restaurant rooftops to faith-based land and rehabilitation centers. Furthermore, she aims to strengthen AHTA’s future reach by highlighting community-based educational frameworks and utilizing her life coaching background to empower individuals establishing therapeutic, non-clinical farms. Dr. Ruiz is eager to leverage her deep expertise in institutional consulting, transnational networking, and cross-cultural translation to expand the reach of horticultural therapy, ensuring that AHTA continues to recognize, support, and uplift the most vulnerable and historically excluded populations.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 5: Jeanne Schultz, HTR

My background is in healthcare sales and marketing. I became an educator specializing in science and history and taught mainly at the middle school level for more than 20 years. During this time, I discovered most of my students enjoyed outdoor lessons that focused on conservation. That led me to caring for a neglected school garden, participating in the local Adopt-A-Stream program and introducing students to seeds, sprouts and native food sources. When I left the local school system in 2020, I pursued more gardening and outdoor experiences, in addition to becoming a Certified Peer Specialist for Addictive Diseases. As I was drawn into the Horticultural Therapy field, I became passionate about combining recovery coaching with nature activities. Nearly five years ago I joined the Horticultural Therapy team at Skyland Trail in Atlanta and opened my own private practice, 12 Acre Farms Services LLC.

While pursuing HT registration I joined the American Horticultural Therapy Association’s Membership Work Team. Since then, I’ve enjoyed working on the Board Certification Test Prep, Membership and Conference Planning Work Teams. These experiences have allowed me to get to know other wonderful members and continue to work alongside many outstanding professionals I met in my original HT classes. Serving on work teams and the AHTA Board of Directors can be challenging at times and worthwhile. Just like tending to gardens and watching them flourish can be hard work, contributing to the success of AHTA has been a rewarding experience. I’m proud of what the board has accomplished so far and am excited about its current stage of growth - expanding awareness about our field, increasing membership and developing protocols for board certification. Just like helping plants to grow and encouraging people to connect with them, it has been inspiring to have a role in this unique and rewarding time in AHTA’s future – one that I hope to continue to play a part in.

AHTA Board of Directors Nominations

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