President – Rosemary Mix
Joined Wild Ones: January 2021
Location: Schoharie County
About: In her professional life Rosemary served as a speech-language pathologist. She and her husband purchased 17 acres of land and built a home nearly 40 years ago. The interconnectedness of life became apparent when her husband started an organic Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) project. Since turning the project over to friends on a nearby farm, she continued as a volunteer for both the CSA and their Family Farm 4H program. Rosemary initiated the Capital Region NY chapter in May of 2021 and has focused her efforts on forming a regional chapter including collaboration with like-minded organizations, networking with other chapters, developing resources, and building a thriving Wild Ones community.
What inspired me to become involved with Wild Ones:
When our land was no longer being used for agriculture, we let the fields grow throughout the season to accommodate ground-nesting wildlife. I’ve been slowly forming a “picture” of how to maintain and develop our fields, woodlot, and hedgerows using native plants. After getting involved with Wild Ones, I realized I can do so much more than just move my personal mission forward. I truly believe we can help to save our environment one yard/one project at a time! The Capital Region NY chapter invites you to join our growing network of diverse members and our efforts to network & educate, eradicate unwelcome invasive species, and incorporate native plants into our daily lives.
Vice President – Genoveffa Vitale
Joined Wild Ones: November 2022
Location: Albany County
About: As a music teacher, Gen spent the summers working on an organic flower and vegetable farm, learning how impactful the ecosystem is and how it connects with human nutrition. After purchasing her first home she planted an apricot tree, which inexplicably died, and so did the next tree the following year. The culprit was Black Walnut trees which led her to learning about resistant plants and the pandemic brought the time to learn just how important the Soil Food Web is for both agriculture and our local ecosystems. This new found knowledge led to a path to grow bountiful vegetable gardens and massive flower beds on an almost one acre property.
What inspired me to become involved with Wild Ones: In November of 2022, I visited a seed exchange at Thacher State Park and discovered a small community of knowledgeable Wild Ones members. I wanted to immerse myself in situations where I could learn from locals that were incorporating native plants and restoring ecosystems. I signed up immediately and it has only been uphill from there.
Membership Chair – Jan Silverman-Pollow
Joined Wild Ones: February 2021
Location: Albany County
About: Jan joined the master gardener program through Cornell Cooperative Extension in 2012, after she retired from a career as a social worker. She has found gardening to be an educative and meditative experience and has enjoyed working with adolescents in a greenhouse setting to share this experience. She still gets excited watching seeds sprout and seeing perennials return to the garden. During the pandemic, she read Douglas W. Tallamy’s Book, Natures Best Hope, and promoted his ideas by learning more about how to use native plants to encourage biodiversity in the landscape through the master gardener program and Wild Ones.
What inspired you to become involved with Wild Ones: Another master gardener had a photo of a Wild Ones sign that intrigued me and I researched the origin of the placard to discover the Wild Ones organization. l felt it was in perfect tune with what we’d been reading about and wanting to promote in our community. I contacted the National Wild Ones group to learn about how to start a chapter in our region and was thrilled to find other like-minded souls excited about starting this project, as well.
Treasurer – Tammy Krisher
Joined Wild Ones: January 2022
Location: Schenectady County
About: Tammy has always loved to garden but had never really heard of Native plants until she read Doug Tallamy. It was like a light bulb went off over her head. With a love of birds, she has always gardened around their needs and stopped using pesticides. What she didn’t realize was birds need to feed caterpillars to their young. It was amazing to see the life that existed around the native plants that she began to introduce into her garden in comparison to other non-native flowers. Professionally Tammy is a Quickbooks Pro Advisor and she loves to help organizations with understanding their books. She has retired from her position as President of Pattersonville Telephone Company and that has allowed her to spend much more time outside in her evolving garden. With just a few changes she is already seeing more butterflies, caterpillars, moths, and baby birds!
What inspired you to become involved with Wild Ones: First, I loved the name! Second, I like the idea of meeting with like-minded people and learning and growing more. I’ve learned so much from this group. I’m especially excited about winter sowing of seeds. I had never heard of the concept until our November Seed Swap and I’m excited to see what I will have next Spring!
Secretary – Laura Davis
Joined Wild Ones: April 2023
Location: Albany County
About: Decades ago, Laura joined the Earthkeepers Club in high school, and ever since, she has been active in organizations that seek to protect our environment, like the Hudson-Mohawk Sierra Club, and Pollinator Partnership. In 2019, with the help of her family, she began transforming their suburban lawn into a native garden, and it’s been quite a learning experience. She founded Capital District Pollinator Allies on Facebook to find like-minded people and share gardening tips. In 2023, she earned her Pollinator Steward Certification from Pollinator Partnership.
What inspired you to become involved with Wild Ones:
I joined Wild Ones primarily to interact in person with other local people who love native plants and learn more together. I became Secretary to help our chapter continue to thrive as it expands its reach. I am happy to help others discover he joy of feeling empowered to help our ecosystem.
Committee leadership
Speakers Bureau – DonnaLee Newsome, Board Member-at-Large
DonnaLee is a Master Gardener Intern, volunteer trail naturalist and program assistant at Albany Pine Bush, and a volunteer with the Vegetable Project. As Speakers Bureau Chair, DonnaLee helps coordinate the chapter’s efforts to offer educational presentations to local community groups and libraries.
What inspired you to become involved with Wild Ones:
“I went to a community presentation on pollinator plants and met an active, enthusiastic Wild Ones member. Looked like it might be my tribe.”
Saratoga County Liaison – Jennifer Michelle
Jennifer helps municipalities, solar developers, and health systems become pollinator-friendly through GreenTown Consulting. As Saratoga County Liaison, Jennifer helps ensure that Wild Ones Capital Region stay connected with native plant events in her county. She leads walking tours and online discussion forums for native gardeners.
What inspired you to become involved with Wild Ones:
“The people have been really welcoming and it’s nice to have others to geek out with on native plants and pollinators.”
Wild Ones Capital Region is seeking members who are interested in filling open positions:
County Liaison – Liaisons are assigned to each county to help find opportunities in their local area to promote native plants, identify locations for hikes or walks and join in-person native plant chats. There are openings for Albany County, Columbia County, Greene County, Rensselaer County, Schenectady County and Schoharie County.
Volunteer Coordinator – If you enjoy building relationships with others and helping people connect their interests with opportunities to help, this position could be for you! Help the chapter ensure we have volunteers for upcoming events be it educational-based or community outreach events.
Events Coordinator – Are you good at keeping track of a calendar? Like planning events? We would appreciate your assistance with chapter-planned and organized events such as the Native Plant Celebration, Volunteer Appreciation, and others as we grow. This may include securing locations and assisting other members with technology needed such as setting up zoom meetings through our established accounts. Build partnerships with other local organizations to see if they have any upcoming events we could attend.
Business Meetings & Membership Meetings 2025
WOCRNY chapter meetings are typically held via Zoom, every month on the second Wednesday at 6:30 pm. All are open to any member wishing to join the call! Please use the contact form below to get a Zoom link to attend any of the meetings.
Contact Leadership
What is Wild Ones Capital Region?
Wild Ones Capital Region NY is a local chapter of a national nonprofit that provides a supportive community for ecologically minded gardeners with an interest in native plants. Join Wild Ones now and be a part of our community and events throughout the year.