About our Panelists:

​

Chris Gatti is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Fall Massachusetts MG Class in 2016. Chris has spent her career working in education, training, and organizational development roles, driven by a strong love of learning. She was an elementary school teacher, a corporate trainer, and then led her own consulting and training firm for 25 years. She has always gardened, influenced by growing up next to her Italian grandfather’s tomato farm. After serving on the MMGA Board of Directors for 8 years, she continues to volunteer for both the Ashland Garden Club, and the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. She is also a member of the Trustees of the Reservation, The Massachusetts Horticultural Society, and the New England Botanical Garden.

​

Elena Lapitsky is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Massachusetts MG Class in 2021. Elena retired after nineteen years at BC, teaching the Russian language, and before that in several other High schools. After her retirement from teaching she wanted to continue with her second passion: gardening. Being born in a small country by Baltic Sea, Latvia, in its capital Riga, city that was founded in 13th century, Elena grow up surrounded by many beautiful gardens and parks which were influenced by English garden style. The Museum Of Nature was right next to her house with annual flower shows that she loved to attend. The Botanical Garden was also a place to spend time in the middle of nasty winters and picking amber by the sea after high tides was a routine activity during summer. She is a member of American Horticultural Society, Audubon Society, and Isabella Steward Gardner Museum. Elena is a highly active member of the Ashland Garden Club and offers tours of her amazing “Garden on the Rocks” in Ashland.

​

Jonathan D. Stein is a Certified Massachusetts Master Gardener who graduated from the Massachusetts MG Class in 2021. Jonathan has spent most of his adult life in health care, now in his 46th year as a practicing chiropractor. Jonathan is a lifelong gardener influenced by his mother’s love of gardening. He is a member of the Ashland Garden Club, the Ashland Community Gardens, American Hosta Society, New England Hosta Society, American Conifer Society, and the New England Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society. He teaches a number of adult education well classes on various gardening topics as well as running a small fine gardening company. In his home garden he has an interest in dwarf conifers, dwarf Japanese maples as well as his woodland garden.

 

The Ashland Garden Club is pleased to be partnering with the library to bring this program to our community. ​This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Ashland Public Library.