Introducing New Bartram’s Garden Board Leadership and Members
Bartram’s Garden welcomed new leadership and members on the Board of Directors this winter: Lawrence F. Jones, Jr. was elected as President and Daneesha Dent as Secretary. In addition, Don Kligerman was appointed Advancement Committee Chair and Darren Fava was elected as a new member.
“I am so grateful for the leadership and care of our Board of Directors,” says Executive Director Maitreyi Roy. “It’s a joy to count on Larry, Daneesha, Don, and Darren in their new roles. They each bring so much expertise to our work together as well as extraordinary love for this special place!”
President Lawrence F. Jones, Jr. joined the Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors in 2018 and was previously Vice President from 2024–2025. A former School District of Philadelphia teacher and SLC Coordinator, Larry is the founding Chief Executive Officer of Richard Allen Preparatory Charter School, a public charter school for grades 5–8 located in Southwest Philadelphia. He also currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Coalition of Public Charter Schools. Larry graduated from Morehouse College and received his M.Ed. from Arcadia University. Last fall, he also received his Doctorate in Education Leadership from Gwynedd Mercy University.
Secretary Daneesha Dent joined the Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors in 2024. With professional expertise in cross-sector efforts in public health policy and trauma-informed clinical services, she is the Overdose Fatality Program Manager for the Health Federation of Philadelphia in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Public Health Department. As an active community leader, Daneesha is the Vice President and Membership Chair for the Alpha Delta Mu Omega Chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and also serves on the Board of Trustees for Ad Prima Charter School. Daneesha completed her undergraduate studies at Temple University and received her MA from Rosemont College; she is also a current candidate for an MBA in Healthcare Administration.
Advancement Committee Chair Don Kligerman joined the Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors in 2025 with a long familiarity with the organization thanks to his 30-year career as a non-profit consultant as founder and president of Fairmount Ventures until his retirement in 2022. He previously served in leadership roles within the City of Philadelphia, including serving as Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections and Deputy Managing Director. He is a Philadelphia native and holds a B.A. degree in philosophy from Brandeis University and a Master of City Planning degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
New member Darren Fava was elected to the Bartram’s Garden Board in December 2025 as the representative director for the City of Philadelphia Department of Parks & Recreation. He is currently Chief of Staff for Parks & Recreation, where he has overseen wayfinding, place-making, planning, preservation, and communications efforts across the park system for more than two decades. Previously at the Center City District, Darren led the development and implementation of Walk! Philadelphia, the nation’s most comprehensive pedestrian wayfinding system. A dedicated community leader and gardener, Darren is a longtime resident of East Passyunk, where he co-founded and co-chaired the East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association; co-founded the Passyunk Avenue Revitalization Corporation; and established the East Passyunk Community Garden.
About the Board of Directors
The Bartram’s Garden Board of Directors is a group of elected volunteers partnering with staff and neighbors to uphold and fulfill the Garden’s mission, vision, and values. In addition to their personal commitment to the Garden’s work, board members also share their expertise and serve as ambassadors for the organization. A full list of board members is available by clicking here.
