Meet Our First Executive Director
Audrey Clark leads GBN
A familiar face is getting her close-up! Garden Buffalo Niagara’s inaugural executive director, Audrey Clark, starts her new role this month. We sat down with Audrey to talk about gardening in Buffalo, her plans for the organization in the year ahead, and how her previous experiences at the Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor and as GBN’s only staff member helped her develop her vision for community change.
GBN: Congratulations, ED! How does it feel?
AC: It feels exciting! On one hand, I’ve been with the organization for five years as part-time administrative coordinator, so it kind of feels like business as usual. On the other hand, my role has definitely evolved, and I’m really excited for this next chapter.
What are you looking forward to the most in your new role? What’s on your agenda in your first year?
I’m really excited to bring to life some of the ideas that GBN has discussed for years but never had the volunteer capacity to execute. One of our goals is to expand into year-round programming, and it will be incredibly fulfilling to me to see those plans take shape.
As for my first year, I’m going to focus on streamlining some of our operations and ensuring GBN’s long-term sustainability. We’ve grown exponentially in the past few years, and it’s important to think about how we can continue to sustain and expand our programs.
How did your time at Michigan Street help prepare you for leading GBN?
Michigan Street taught me the importance of adaptability and how to grow an organization.
When I joined Michigan Street as project manager, I was only the second employee. They had hired their ED only a few months before. The organization was very much in the early stages of development. While the board had done all the work to get policies in place to guide the organization, it was really up to the ED to begin defining the organization and carrying out the mission, and I was the only staff person he had to support him. Early on I spent my time setting up all the infrastructure; created the websites, databases, found the technology we needed, and established relationships with the four anchor organizations that made up the Corridor: the Michigan Street Baptist Church, the Nash House, the Historic Colored Musicians Club, and WUFO Black Radio History Collective.
I eventually became Curator of Exhibits and Interpretive Programming, and learned quickly how to juggle the diverse needs of not just one nonprofit, but five of them working in a collaborative model. Balancing operational needs, programmatic needs, and construction projects of five organizations isn’t easy, especially when the majority of those nonprofits are completely volunteer run. But the group is made up of an incredibly dedicated and passionate team, and with a little bit of patience and flexibility, I think we were able to accomplish some pretty incredible things.
“I think GBN exists at a fascinating intersection of art and creativity, environment, and community development. The gardens are our canvas, but they represent more than just something beautiful to look at; they have a real, tangible impact on our city.”
What did your time at GBN teach you?
GBN’s board of directors, committees, and volunteers are some of the most dedicated people I’ve ever met. Anyone working in the nonprofit industry has an idea of how they’d like their board to function, but experiences the reality of how it actually does operate. I find that these are usually two very different things. But at GBN every directors, along with our committees and volunteers, is actively engaged and deeply committed to fulfilling our mission. The group has cultivated a strong set of shared values that guide our work and is dedicated to fulfilling our mission. Ultimately, GBN has taught me how a board and its committees should operate.
Where do you see the organization headed in the near future?
While the board and committees stay busy planning throughout the year, all of our public events currently take place from June-August. GBN has cultivated a strong identity, but to an outsider, we may seem like a seasonal organization. I know we can continue our work year-round to fulfill our mission, which is to create more vibrant and beautiful communities by sharing gardens.
Are there specific initiatives you’re going to spearhead?
One initiative I previously coordinated in the Michigan Street Corridor was a guest speaker series focused on diversity in gardening, and I’d love to bring something similar to GBN.
Also, Conservation Day, GBN’s newest program, has been great for the organization. As someone deeply committed to environmental stewardship, I’d like to strengthen our relationships with our partners who are already doing great work related to the environment and think more intentionally about our impact beyond our events. Promoting gardens also means promoting habitats for wildlife and pollinators, but we don’t always make a conscious effort to highlight that. I believe we have an opportunity to emphasize conservation and environmental impact more intentionally, making it a core part of our mission.
What does gardening advocacy mean to you, personally and professionally? Where do you see GBN and its gardener community fitting into the larger picture of Buffalo’s cultural and civic strengths?
We are all agents of change. While many people recognize the environmental benefits of gardening, our programs go beyond that—they build community, bridge divides, and create shared experiences for everyone, regardless of income, background, or race. Our events promote art, culture, and education, fostering inclusive community interaction, the beautification of public spaces, and mental and physical well-being. I think GBN exists at a fascinating intersection of art and creativity, environment, and community development. The gardens are our canvas, but they represent more than just something beautiful to look at—they have a real, tangible impact on our city.
“We are all agents of change. While many people recognize the environmental benefits of gardening, our programs go beyond that—they build community, bridge divides, and create shared experiences for everyone, regardless of income, background, or race.”
I love the story of our founders, Marvin Lunenfeld and Gail McCarthy, who launched the first Garden Walk Buffalo on the West Side in 1995. For those who don’t know, Buffalo was struggling in the ’90s—crime was up, property values were down, and people were leaving the city in search of better opportunities. A few years earlier, Marvin and Gail had toured an urban garden walk in Chicago and were inspired to replicate the idea in Buffalo. That first year, they had just 29 participating gardens in their Norwood/West Utica neighborhood. But the event grew rapidly, driven by the community. By 2015, more than 400 gardens were participating, and today we average around 320 gardens for that event.
Neighborhoods once considered undesirable are now some of the most vibrant in the city. Inspired by their neighbors, more and more residents began planting gardens and beautifying their streets. Buffalonians took ownership of their community and transformed it—not through a government initiative, but through grassroots action. Over the years, Garden Walk Buffalo transformed into Gardens Buffalo Niagara. We now offer eight different garden tours and programs that take place all across WNY and continue to inspire neighbors and visitors to be the change they want to see.
What makes gardening in Buffalo special?
It’s our sense of community. I see it all across the city in various groups. At Michigan Street, I saw it after 5/14, with the amazing partners behind MLK Day of Service, and the way the anchors worked together. At GBN, you see it in how people come together in the gardens. Whether it’s transforming vacant lots, like some of the farmers on Urban Farm Day, or beautifying neighborhoods the way Garden Walk Buffalo and East Side Garden Walk have done, gardening connects neighbors and inspires pride in our city.
There aren’t many places where hundreds of strangers are welcomed into private yards to linger, gossip, and have a good time. But for 30 years, Buffalo has embraced the idea of opening our gardens to people from all over the world. Our gardens, at least for several weeks in the summer, are not our own. They belong to the community. And I think that’s something truly special.
What’s your favorite GBN event?
The Garden Art Sale. Not only is it fun, but it also showcases everything we do in one central, easy-to-visit location. We bring together artists and gardeners, along with plant societies and environmental groups who are on hand to answer any questions. It sparks creativity and inspires people to think about their garden plans for the summer. It’s a wonderful way to connect the community and get everyone excited about the possibilities for their own spaces. Plus I always leave with something handmade and unique to put in my yard.
Audrey’s West Side garden when she bought the house—then one year later!
What kind of gardener are you?
Amateur gardener? Chaos gardener? I’m a newbie. I purchased my house in October 2023. Prior to that I had been apartment living and was fully committed to my houseplants.
My house is on the West Side, so my lot is fairly small. One of the first things I did in the spring of 2024 was rip up my front yard, which is only 20 x15 feet of lawn. At the time I was still working one full-time job and one-part time job, so I knew I didn’t have a ton of time to dedicate to a high-maintenance garden. I ended up spreading a bunch of wildflower seeds all over the yard. I must have done something right! By mid-July, my yard was covered in zinnias, cosmos, and Mexican sunflowers. The Mexican sunflowers took me by surprise. They grew all the way up to my second-floor window. By the end of the season I was a little intimidated by them.
Now that I’m down to only one job, I’m hoping to spend my weekends learning what my gardening style actually is. I know I want something that encourages pollinators. I liked seeing all the bees and butterflies in the yard last year. I’m still learning. I’m looking forward to chatting in other gardens this summer and learning what I’d like to do with mine. If anyone has tips, please share them!
Favorite plant/flower.
Black Calla Lilies. This is an inside joke with my sister. I hope it makes her smile.
Interview by Lauren Newkirk Maynard. Lauren is a Buffalo-based writer, editor and journalist. She is currently secretary of the board for Gardens Buffalo Niagara.