Our Mission & Vision
Mission
To enhance the well-being of our community, by connecting people with
nature through education and the preservation of greenspaces.
Vision
One day, we will live in a world where the community feels a deep
connection with each other, nature, and the food they eat.
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Our Values
● Sustainability- We are intentional in the use of all resources and mindful of how our actions impact the community and the world.
● Inclusion - We honor diversity by respecting the innate worth of all persons, cultures, and abilities. We are stronger because of the varied contributions of all.
● Stewardship – We accept responsibility to care for the land and to educate and encourage the community to become active contributors to a healthy environment.
● Optimism – We believe in our community, and the ability to bring change for the better through our actions, words, and intentions.
● Service – We dedicate ourselves to creating opportunities for the advancement of the community.
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Lynda Allen
Office Manager
Lynda is a creative spirit with degrees in communications and an affinity for birds, the Rappahannock River, and communing with nature. She brings computer skills and compassion to her work for Downtown Greens.
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Em Ford
Land Manager
Em Ford, Land Manager and South Floridian transplant, is an Environmental Scientist with a focus on native plant ecology. They want to connect people with nature because slowing down, taking a closer look, and having a little more consideration could help make the world a better place for all of us.
Janet Douberly
Outreach Manager
Janet Douberly has a degree in horticulture with a focus on food production and is a Virginia Master Naturalist. Janet's favorite part of their job is sharing weird and fascinating facts about plants and insects with anyone who will stand still long enough to listen.
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Khalilah Brooker
Education Manager
Khalilah Brooker is a transplant from Philadelphia. She has cultivated gardens in four different regions of the United States. She continued her garden education at the College of Lake County in Illinois, as well as through multiple classes, seminars, and plant shows. She is trained in floral design, greenhouse management, and basic horticulture and is an avid companion garden follower.
Khalila's favorite part about working at Downtown Greens as our Education Manager is the children and the look on their faces when they discover something new.
Christie Hoerneman
Acting Executive Director
Christie Hoerneman is passionate about conservation, education, and creating opportunities for children and adults to experience nature and learn. Originally from Michigan, Christie has called the Fredericksburg area home for the past 20 years. She first came to the area to attend the University of Mary Washington, where she earned a degree in History. She later attended the University of Pittsburgh, earning a Masters degree in Library and Information Science before returning to Fredericksburg to make the area her long-term home.
Christie lives in King George with her husband and daughter. Outside of her work with Downtown Greens, she enjoys reading and spending time outdoors and is currently working to transform her backyard into a landscape made up primarily of native plants—putting her passion for conservation into practice at home as well as in the community.
Meet our dedicated staff
Our Team
Meet our dedicated Board of Directors
Our Board
Kimberly Cartier
Acting President of the Board
Teresa M. Towle
Vice President
Shawn Phillips
Board Member
Mark Reid
Board Member
Rachel Walsh-Mattson
Board Member
Our History
Downtown Greens began when Laura Shepherd, our first Executive Director, transformed an unused lot at 206 Charles Street—now home to our offices—into a thriving garden. Her efforts sparked the curiosity and enthusiasm of neighborhood children, laying the foundation for what would become a lasting community resource.
With support from local residents, Downtown Greens became a nonprofit organization in 1995. This allowed the organization to purchase the land behind 206 Charles Street, now known as the Lower Garden. Four years later, an additional parcel at Princess Anne and Dixon Streets was acquired, creating the Upper Garden.
In 2015, the entire 2.8-acre garden property was placed under a conservation easement to ensure its permanent protection. In recognition of this unique urban conservation effort, Downtown Greens was named Conservation Steward of the Year by the Land Trust of Virginia in 2024. That same year, Downtown Greens purchased more than 56 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and agricultural fields, now known as the Belman Road Campus, and placed the property under conservation easement.
Today, Downtown Greens protects more than 58 acres of land—nearly 1% of the City of Fredericksburg—preserving these gardens and natural spaces for community use and enjoyment for generations to come.
We strive to be the leading resource for school-aged children and adults in the Fredericksburg area to learn about sustainable gardening while fostering a strong sense of belonging for all who visit our spaces.
Since launching youth programs in 2016, we have expanded our educational offerings to include Garden Sprouts, developed with Fredericksburg Head Start and the Virginia Preschool Initiative, Youth Farm Program, homeschool field trips, and Gardening for Nature workshops for adults in partnership with the local public library.
