Our 2023-2024 Board of Directors
Jeanne McRight
Chair and Founding President
Jeanne is the founder of Blooming Boulevards. As a professional visual artist, photographer, and educator, she taught visual arts for 21 years at the Etobicoke School of the Arts, was a founding Director of Artspace and a Program Advisor for the Ontario College of Art and Design and Sheridan College. Jeanne served as a Mississauga Master Gardner for 5 years, holds a Horticulture Diploma from the University of Guelph and focuses on biodiversity conservation, specializing in native plant​ propagation, ​habitat ​restoration and naturalized landscaping. Recipient of multiple conservation and environmental awareness awards, she initiated an amendment to Mississauga’s Encroachment By-Law, permitting residents to create boulevard gardens. Gardening is Jeanne’s joy and passion, but more than that, she is a deeply committed advocate for environmentally sustainable horticultural practices.
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Mary Jean Kucerak
Treasurer
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Elected in October 2020. Currently serving as Board Treasurer
Mary Jean has worked in the non-for-profit sector for over 40 years and is currently the Chief Operating Officer for a national professional association. She is an avid gardener and over the years she has sought out and included many native species in her own garden. Mary Jean is currently a director on the Cloverleaf Garden Club Board. Over the years she has held many volunteer positions including: inaugural Chair of the Native Plant Propagation Program (NP3) at the Riverwood Conservancy, a volunteer for the Credit Valley Conservation Authority, President of the Applewood Garden Club, a founding Director of the Mississauga Garden Festival and a 12 year member of the Mississauga Master Gardeners.
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Sheila Cressman
Secretary
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Sheila was a native plant neophyte three years ago when she first started her boulevard garden and is in the process of devoting the rest of her property to native plants. She has volunteered with Blooming Boulevards' Seed Saving and Plant Propagation programs, assisted with our annual Plant Sale, and helped several of our planning committees. Sheila has served as a board member for both a women's shelter and a local literacy organization and is a retired lawyer.
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Wayne Cardinalli
Director
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Wayne is a full time ceramics artist. He has a B.S. in Art Education and an M.F.A. in Ceramics. He has served on various boards including: Artspace, The Ontario Crafts Council and is the past president of Fusion, The Ontario Clay and Glass Association. Wayne has taught part time and conducted over 100 workshops and lectures. Though his work has focused on visual art, he is morally drawn to become a positive force in restoring and preserving the environment.
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Aranya Iyer
Director
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Aranya Iyer is an ecologist who first got interested in conservation because of her father's insistence to go birding every spring migration to welcome the feathered friends back to their summer homes. She has a deep commitment to conservation research through her past and present positions in both the academic and nonprofit world. Currently, she is also the co-founder and co-director of FREED whose mission is to increase access to field research and naturalist skills for Indigenous, Black and/or Racialized undergraduates. Aranya is looking forward to digging into all things native plants and helping the many BB projects succeed! She is excited to engage Mississauga residents from all walks of life to create pollinator havens across the city.
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Murray Moore
Director
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In addition to volunteering with Blooming Boulevards, Murray has directed his interest in supporting green initiatives through involvement with the Riverwood Conservancy's Native Plant Propagation Program (NP3), where he was a volunteer. He also is a member of Carolinian Canada, the North American Native Plant Society (NANPS), and Seeds of Diversity. Murray has experience as a board member and is currently President of the national CSFFA (Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association). The number of native plants in his and his wife's front and back yards increases every year.
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Pamela Sleightholm
Director
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Pamela has always had interest in food, sustainability and the environment. After working in communications in the non-profit and public sectors, she is now pursuing a degree in Environmental Management at the University of Toronto with a strong interest in habitat creation in urban and suburban environments. Since starting her native plant garden she’s been thrilled to see more and more insects, birds, amphibians and mammals coming each year. She’s excited about designing a garden with pollinators, the ecosystem, and our local food supply in mind.