Since 2002, I have been involved with botanic gardens and have built an extensive professional network within this community. I have worked in various positions from volunteer, student and academic fellow to curator/director. As a result I have gained experience in a wide variety of aspects from, botanical and horticultural to strategic. I have also worked in small botanic gardens with meagre resources to some of the foremost large botanic gardens on three different continents. During this time I have developed a particular passion for utilising plant collections to support the three cornerstones of botanic gardens namely education, research and conservation.