Joan M. Reilly

Senior Director of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s
Philadelphia Green program.

Joan Reilly serves as a Senior Director at the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, overseeing its nationally recognized urban greening program, Philadelphia Green.

Joan co-leads the work of Philadelphia Green in utilizing horticulture to build community and improve the quality of life in Philadelphia’s neighborhoods and downtown public spaces. In this capacity, she manages and develops staff and programs that focus on PHS's mission to build community through horticulture. Program areas include parks revitalization, public landscapes, community gardens, urban tree canopy restoration, vacant land management, stormwater management projects, and open space planning. Joan leads these key urban greening strategies working in partnership with community-based organizations, local residents, civic organizations, the City of Philadelphia, and state and federal agencies using open space revitalization and greening as a community-building tool.

Joan has worked in the field of organizational development and training for over three decades. She works with a broad range of stakeholders in government, community and non-profit institutions to build capacity in the areas of civic engagement, leadership development, collaboration, strategic planning, community stewardship, and advocacy. She has served as a facilitator and consultant to a range of environmental organizations including Pennsylvania Environmental Council; Philadelphia Parks Alliance; Trust for Public Lands; Camden Greenways Inc.; Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Montgomery County Lands Trust.

Joan has played a leading role in the development of a 15-year partnership among the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, Fairmount Park, community groups and Philadelphia Green to revitalize neighborhood parks in the city and create systems change in stewardship practices. The partnership referred to as the Parks Revitalization Project is recognized nationally as a model for private/public partnership. In the past few years, this partnership was recognized for its innovation by the Project for Public Spaces, Urban Parks Institute and the Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society.

Joan has a Masters in Education. She serves as a Board Member for the City Parks Alliance; The Philadelphia Parks Alliance; Keep Philadelphia Beautiful and Board Member Emeritus for St. Christopher Hospital for Children.

FOR PRESS INFORMATION, CONTACT:
ALAN JAFFE, email or call 215-988-8833
LAURA BEITMAN, email or call 215-988-8836