James May: Executive Director
Palm Beach, FL – Mounts Botanical Garden of Palm Beach County has selected James May as Executive Director. He brings to this role decades of nonprofit leadership experience and a solid dedication to education. As Executive Director of Mounts Botanical Garden, he will be focused on purposeful expansion, ensuring the Garden thrives as a premier destination for environmental education, cultural tourism and community pride.
Most recently, as Chief of Staff at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, May led efforts to streamline operations and improve economic performance, which significantly increased the Museum’s capacity to serve the public. His leadership of the Museum’s Machu Picchu exhibition tripled membership and significantly boosted the Museum’s community presence.
Earlier in his career, he played a key role in designing, developing, and completing the $105 million Indiana State Museum in downtown Indianapolis. He has also made significant contributions to the broader museum industry as a reaccreditation peer reviewer for the American Alliance of Museums, helping to advance industry standards and best practices.
With a mission to inspire and educate through nature, Mounts Botanical Garden is Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden. Visitors to this 20-acre tropical oasis will see an acclaimed collection of 25 unique garden areas containing more than 7,000 species of tropical and sub-tropical plants, including Florida natives, exotic and tropical fruit trees, herbs, palms, roses, cactus, bromeliads and much more.
Mounts Botanical Garden is part of the Palm Beach County Cooperative Extension Department, in partnership with the University of Florida and the nonprofit Friends of the Mounts Botanical Garden. For more information, visit www.mounts.org.
