Judy Pelfrey, President - After almost 40 years at UK Healthcare, Judy retired in late 2019, after years of helping design and outfit the replacement hospital.  She was active volunteering and working with many hospital affiliated organizations and philanthropic events.  After retiring, her plans to travel abroad were thwarted when Covid hit and the world shut down.  Having grown up with her Mom and Grandmother having natural green thumbs, she turned her focus to converting her yard full of miscellaneous plants and flowers to a mostly native species garden.   She developed a butterfly garden which gets a number of butterflies each year, especially monarchs.  Very protective of these beauties, she takes her caterpillars to friends who see them through their metamorphosis and then place them in beautiful gardens for children to enjoy.  She joined a garden club and is now Secretary of Down to Earth Garden Club, which maintains a garden at Waveland and the Nest.  She is currently working on developing a Bluebird Trail at Waveland with fellow board member. She loves cooking, history, traveling Kentucky and did finally get to go on her retirement trip, three weeks in Italy and France! She loves BBN, St. Louis Cardinals but most of all spending time with family. She has two children and three grandsons.

 

Ann Garrity, President Emeritus – Ann retired from the University of Kentucky after 27 years in a variety of academic support roles including 15 years as Assistant to the Chancellor of the Lexington Campus. Since 1999 she has volunteered with community organizations as an advocate for children, the environment, and democratic engagement. It was through membership on the Friends of the Arboretum/Fayette County Master Gardener lecture committee that she and other board members were inspired to seek participation in the national America in Bloom Evaluation & Awards Program beginning in 2014.

 

Doris Settles, Vice President – Doris has spent her life writing about people: their joys, successes, work and communities. Author of five books and numerous regional and national articles, she has taught writing at Lexington Community College, the University of Kentucky, and serves as a writing mentor at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. A lifelong garden enthusiast, Doris volunteers as a speaker for the Fayette County Extension Master Gardener Program, where she was part of the original lecture committee that brought Celebrate Lexington to Lexington. 

 

Mary Taylor, Secretary – Mary grew up in Lexington and graduated from Lafayette, Transylvania University and University of Kentucky before she taught in Fayette County Public Schools for 30 years. With husband Jason, they own Perspectives, Paint, Wallpaper and Window Treatment Store in Southland which recently received the Silver level Green Check from the city for environmental initiatives.  She serves as President of Transylvania Woman’s Club, Secretary of Church Woman United and a member of Local First. As a Habitat for Humanity volunteer she has participated in building over 30 homes. She loves to garden and tour other gardens. Serving as a volunteer tour guide for the AIB National Symposium led to her current position on Celebrate Lexington’s board. 

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Christine Smith, Treasurer - Chris is a retired elementary teacher and reading specialist. A resident of Lexington for over 40 years, she has consistently been active in the community through her garden club, church and neighborhood. She is married with two children and two grandchildren. 

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Brendan Campbell - Brendan grew up in Lexington, Kentucky and is a recent graduate from the University of Kentucky. He currently works for the City of Lexington's Department of Environmental Quality and Public Work's Information Office. He is currently managing the Celebrate Lexington website.

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Caroline Francis – A native of Lexington, Kentucky Caroline enjoys spending every free minute digging in the dirt. She is a Friend of the Arboretum and member and past President of the Bluegrass Herb Guild. She is the Director of the University of Kentucky Alumni Career Services program and is a Certified Professional Retirement Coach (CPRC), Certified Career Counselor (CCC), Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP), Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), and Board Certified Coach (BCC) with over 25 years of experience working with adults in all stages of career transition. In her Alumni Career Services role with the University of Kentucky, she assists individual clients, develops career-related presentations and programming, and writes regular columns for the UK Alumni magazine. Caroline lives in rural Fayette County and is married with two children.

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Debbie Huston - This is Debbie’s second time making Lexington her home. Originally from PA, she fell in love with Lexington from 1976-1981. Returning to PA didn’t stop regular trips back to Lexington to visit life-long friends, follow the city’s growth, and take advantage of all Lexington has to offer. When her daughter chose UK for college, Debbie relocated permanently to Lexington in 2005 and worked as an RN until her retirement in 2021. She enjoys showing off Lexington to friends and family who visit once, then return time and again to get their “KY fix”! Debbie’s love for gardening came from her mother, who at the age of 94, moved to Lexington to live with Debbie. Together they planned, installed, and cared for numerous flower beds and trees using native KY plants and trees, mixed with plantings that her mom bought from her childhood home in PA. Meeting Celebrate Lex president, Judy Pelfrey, at Stronger Life, was meant to be. Judy’s dedication and enthusiasm for this group is contagious! After reading the history and vision of Celebrate Lex, Debbie knew this organization was a perfect fit for her and was honored to be asked to become a member. In her own words, “what an exciting time to be involved and have the opportunity to help Celebrate Lex celebrate the 250th birthday of Lexington!”

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Jackie Wagoner - A long-term garden enthusiast, Jackie is president of Gardenside Green Thumbs Garden Club and has followed Celebrate Lexington's efforts for a while. She looks forward to being an integral part of our organization now.

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Kyle Girouard - Kyle Girouard is an attorney who focuses his practice on commercial litigation and environmental law with a particular emphasis on regulatory compliance, environmental litigation, and environmental due diligence. His experience spans federal and state-level compliance, particularly with the Clean Water Act, Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. Kyle is passionate about environmental stewardship and community sustainability, making him a natural fit for the board of Celebrate Lexington. With a strong background in environmental law and policy, he brings valuable insight into regulatory considerations that impact green spaces and urban development. Outside of work, Kyle enjoys camping, woodworking, and volunteering, along with spending time with his wife and two dogs.

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Nancy McNally –  Nancy is originally from Kansas City and has been busy as a Lexington community volunteer since retiring from a career in retail buying and management.  For over 10 years she has been very active in supporting The Arboretum programs and served as President of The Friends of The Arboretum for 5 years as well as serving on their Advisory Board.  Through Arboretum projects, she became associated with Celebrate Lexington and is honored to serve as a Board member.

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Sheila O. Ferrell  –  Sheila supports and advocates for history, art and culture in our community, and has created a beautiful private walled garden in her home in North Lexington. In particular, Sheila has spearheaded efforts to tell the story of hemp in Lexington’s early history and prosperity. She serves on various other boards focusing on art and culture and is past president.​

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Ex Officio

Angela Poe – As Senior Program Manager for Public Information and Engagement with the ‎city’s Department of Environmental Quality and Public Works, Angela helps Celebrate Lexington stay on top of issues and programming in all six areas.

 

In Memorium 

Marcia Farris – Following a 25 year career as Director of the UK/LFUCG Arboretum, Marcia helped organize our board until her sudden passing in 2017, providing experience and wisdom as we transitioned to a non-profit corporation in 2016.