Dr. Donald A. Rakow
Associate Professor, Horticulture, Cornell University
Kittleman Alliance Partner
Donald A. Rakow is an Alliance Partner with Kittleman, working with public gardens on the recruitment of executive leaders and providing consultation on strategic planning and organizational development. Dr. Rakow has successfully led or co-led executive searches for the Houston Botanical Garden, Morris Arboretum, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, and Mt. Cuba Center.
Dr. Rakow is also an Associate Professor of Horticulture in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. Dr. Rakow served as the E.N. Wilds Executive Director of the Cornell Botanical Gardens from 1996 – 2013. He is the Co-Director of the Cornell Master of Professional Studies Program in Public Garden Leadership, and teaches the course, “Public Garden Management”.
Dr. Rakow, along with Sharon Lee, is the author of the seminal text, “Public Garden Management” (Wiley & Sons, 2011). He, Lee, and Professor Meghan Gough of Virginia Commonwealth University co-authored “Public Gardens and Livable Cities” (Cornell University Press, 2020). Dr. Rakow has written frequently for “Public Garden” magazine and served for many years as the chair of the Editorial Advisory Group of the American Public Gardens Association (APGA). For his many efforts on behalf of this association and the field of public gardens, Dr. Rakow received the APGA Service Award (2009) and Award of Merit (2015).
