{"id":1519,"name":"Nicole Cavender","url":"","description":"Gardens at The Huntington in San Marino, California. Since joining The Huntington in May 2021, she has overseen 207 acres of gardens and grounds, including 130 acres of awe-inspiring public gardens visited by more than one million people each year. She stewards one of the world\u2019s largest and most diverse living plant collections, comprising more than 10,000 species and hybrids found at no other gardens, including more than 2,500 plants that are part of a rare plant science and conservation program. Guided by principles of sustainability, education, and biodiversity conservation, she leads a large team of staff and volunteers responsible for caring for this extraordinary collection.\r\nBefore joining The Huntington, Cavender served as Vice President of Science and Conservation at The Morton Arboretum in Illinois, where she led programs in tree science, conservation, and urban forestry. Earlier in her career, she was Chief Programmatic Officer at The Wilds, a major wildlife conservation center in Ohio.\r\nNicole received her BS in Environmental and Plant Biology from Ohio University followed by a PhD degree in Horticulture and Crop Science from The Ohio State University. She serves as a global and U.S. board member for Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI) and is committed to advancing biodiversity conservation, sustainability, and the role of botanical gardens in global conservation.\r\n\r\n\r\nThe Huntington, a world-renowned cultural and educational institution, provides \r\ntransformative experiences for a community of the curious.\r\nFounded in 1919 by Henry E. and Arabella Huntington, The Huntington supports research and promotes public engagement through its expansive library, art, and botanical collections. By cultivating dynamic scholarship, creating innovative programs for students and lifelong learners, and sharing its extraordinary resources, The Huntington invites all on a journey of discovery, insight, and connection.\r\nOur Mission | The Huntington shares its world-renowned collections to support \r\nscholarship, foster learning, inspire creativity, and offer transformative experiences for diverse audiences.","link":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/author\/nicolecavender\/","slug":"nicolecavender","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-24x24.jpg","48":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-48x48.jpg","96":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-96x96.jpg"},"meta":[],"simple_local_avatar":{"media_id":61335,"full":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1.jpg","blog_id":1,"192":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-192x192.jpg","96":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-96x96.jpg","250":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-250x250.jpg","125":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-125x125.jpg","24":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-24x24.jpg","48":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/cropped-cropped-036-Nicole25-Jamie-Pham-portrait-1-scaled-1-48x48.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thenatureofcities.com\/TNOC\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users"}]}}