Meet The Board
Who We Are
Marsha Wyatt
President
Member since 2013, Plot 21
Marsha’s gardening journey began early—planting carrots, beets, parsley, and lettuce alongside her parents and “helping” her grandfather tend to his expansive gardens. After moving to University Commons, she discovered the Maxwell Street Community Garden in 2014 and quickly became a vital part of its growth, serving as co-president since 2016.
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As a member of the core transition planning team, Marsha played a key role in the development of the new garden space in 2018–2019. She also designed the perennial and shrub gardens, as well as the Welcome Garden at the main entrance—personally planting hundreds of perennials and thousands of seeds to bring the space to life.
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Beyond the garden, Marsha is deeply involved in community organizations, working to secure funding and create educational opportunities for local residents and youth.
Scott Crowe
Founding Member, Plot 12
Scott’s love for gardening began in childhood and has flourished throughout his life—both at home and as a founding member of the Maxwell Street Community Garden. As part of the original transition team, Scott played a key role in designing and building the garden’s structures and planting beds at both locations.
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He and his wife, Lisa Kulisek, have lived in the neighborhood for over 20 years and are actively involved in numerous community organizations. Together, they are passionate about strengthening connections between the garden and local institutions, including Chicago World Language Academy, Smyth Elementary, and Whitney Young High School.
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When he’s not tending to the garden, Scott works as an architect, bringing creativity and structure to everything he builds—whether it’s a home or a community green space.
Barbara Risman
Founding Member, Plot 11
Barbara Risman is one of the original gardeners at Maxwell Street Community Garden and served on the board from its founding until 2019, when the garden transitioned to its current location. After stepping back to travel during the summers, she’s excited to return to board service and continue supporting the garden’s mission.
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Barbara is especially passionate about making the garden a welcoming and inclusive green space for both gardeners and the surrounding community. A sociology professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a resident of University Commons, she brings a thoughtful, research-driven perspective to her work.
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Barbara also serves on the national board of the Scholars Strategy Network, an organization that promotes evidence-based decision-making in policy and nonprofit work. She looks forward to applying these principles to board discussions and initiatives at Maxwell Street Community Garden.
Dawn McKenzie
Member since 2021, Plot 6
Dawn is a proud resident of University Commons and a passionate newcomer to the world of gardening. Although she grew up surrounded by family gardens in Southern Illinois, her personal gardening journey began in the summer of 2020 at Maxwell Garden.
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With a condo full of thriving houseplants and past summers spent working at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Dawn brings a deep appreciation for plants and green spaces.
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Outside the garden, Dawn leads a dynamic life as a rugby referee, a professional in data advertising, and an avid traveler. She also has a strong background in nonprofit work, contributing to fundraising event planning, and publicity efforts.
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Now serving on the Maxwell Street Garden Board, Dawn is excited to grow her gardening skills and help cultivate interest in this vibrant green space
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Tess Kearns
Treasurer
Founding Member, Plot 11
Tess Kearns discovered her love for gardening as a child, planting alongside her mom in their suburban backyard. After moving to the city, she thought gardening might be out of reach—until she found the Maxwell Street Community Garden in 2017. Sharing the joys of growing radishes, green beans, salsa ingredients, and pickles with her kids quickly turned into a family passion.
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Tess joined the board in 2020 and currently serves as the garden’s treasurer, managing both general funds and special projects like murals and honey production. She’s also an active committee chair and a familiar face around the garden throughout the summer—often spotted biking between tasks.
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With a deep love for yoga, Tess is excited to blend mindfulness and gardening by partnering with SOS to bring yoga programming to garden members.
Mari Dumbaugh
Member since 2020, Plot 11
Mari has called Pilsen home since 2018 and joined the Maxwell Street Community Garden in 2020. Her passion for healthy, sustainable food took root while working on an organic farm near San Francisco, where she developed a strong commitment to ethical and accessible local food production.
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Deeply dedicated to social justice, Mari envisions the garden as a welcoming, inclusive green space that fosters equity and community connection.
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Beyond the garden, Mari is a Global Health research and training consultant and an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Her work focuses on the transformative role of anti-racist structures and actions in advancing health and economic equity.
Yvonne Livingston
Member since 2019, Plot 58
Yvonne Livingston, a dedicated gardener from Roosevelt Square, joined the Maxwell Street Community Garden three years ago and became a board member in 2025. Her passion for growing her own food is matched by her commitment to building community through gardening.
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Yvonne actively engages with neighbors to foster connections and inspire others to join her in cultivating both plants and relationships. She deeply values the healing and empowering experience of connecting with nature while growing fresh, healthy food.
Janet Cornelius
Founding Member (Retired)
Janet Cornelius discovered the Maxwell Street Community Garden in its earliest days, watching it take shape in the summer of 2013. Eager to contribute, she completed the Openlands Garden Keepers program at the Garfield Park Conservatory and soon became a driving force in the garden’s development. She served as co-chair through 2016, helping to shape the garden’s identity and community spirit.
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During her tenure, Janet brought creativity and dedication to every aspect of garden life—experimenting with new vegetables in her plot, planting flowers in the Welcome Garden, serving on the Compost Committee, and mentoring local schoolchildren as a Master Gardener. With a certificate in Horticulture and Landscape Design from the College of DuPage, she also developed the plot plan for the garden’s new site in 2019.
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Janet secured numerous grants that supported educational programming and accessibility improvements. Her final project was the vibrant “Seasons of the Garden” mural—a community art piece made of crocheted flowers from repurposed plastic bags, now displayed along Racine Avenue.
In Memoriam: Eric McKamey
Former Co-President
Eric McKamey joined the Maxwell Street Community Garden in 2014 after a swim at Fosco Park led him to discover the vibrant green space. His curiosity soon turned into commitment, and in the fall of 2019, he became Co-President of the garden.
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Before retiring, Eric dedicated 31 years to teaching special needs elementary students in Chicago Public Schools. He brought his love of gardening into the classroom, guiding his students in cultivating vegetable and perennial gardens and teaching them the joy of watching flowers and bulbs return each year.
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Eric was a certified Master Gardener through the University of Illinois Extension Program and had a special talent for growing ornamental grasses and peppers from seed. He was often seen in the garden with his beloved companion, Girl Friday, who would run joyful laps around the plots while Eric tended to his plants and chatted with neighbors.
Gardening brought Eric peace—especially during his final years as he bravely battled cancer.
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He passed away peacefully on March 11, 2022, at the age of 76, surrounded by dear friends. His legacy lives on in the garden he helped nurture and the community he helped grow.
