Our botanic garden and the Arboretum of Los Angeles County are co-hosting a
joint meeting of the Southwest and Pacific Regions of the American
Association of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA) next October.  We are
in the process of identifying potential panelists for various sessions, and
I am helping to develop a session on marketing and public relations titled
"Bringing People In."  In addition to some people I already have in mind, I
am looking for a couple of museum/botanic garden professionals in the
Pacific and Southwest regions of the U.S. who could add to our discussion.
Ideally, we'd like to cover topics such as audience/market research,
community relations, visitor services and practical first steps to
attracting new audiences.  Panelists from other botanic gardens and
arboreta would, of course, be appropriate but we'd also like to look
further afield for professionals in other kinds of museums/zoos/aquaria who
are looking at the same issues, and/or from university programs that deal
with these topics.
 
If you know of someone that you think might have something to offer for our
meetings, please send me your nominations/suggestions off-list.  Thanks in
advance for your help.  Oh, and be sure to provide their address and phone
number as well as e-mail address if they have one.  Thanks again!
 
Richard Chute                           [log in to unmask]
 
Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden         Claremont, CA 91711
Phone:  (909) 625-8767, ext. 222
FAX:  (909) 626-6760