Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Sanco.
Hi Lisa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up in southeast Wisconsin, and was always outside as a kid – riding bikes, playing in the woods, swimming, ice skating – you name it! I’ve always felt my freest and most creative self being outside. As I got older, one of my summer jobs was taking care of the flower beds alongside the horticulturist at Lake Geneva Country Club. I didn’t register it then, but that would be the field I’d enter eventually.
I earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree (English: Rhetoric & Writing) from University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2009, but wasn’t particularly pulled in any direction for a career. Partly because of that, and partly because the job market was so rough, I decided to hop down to Kenosha, WI for another couple years of schooling to earn an Associate’s Degree in Horticulture at Gateway Technical College. My boss at the country club had talked about her experience working at the Chicago Botanic Garden, and it sounded magical. So I did it! After earning my Associates Degree, I got an internship at CBG, then was re-hired the following year as an Assistant Horticulturist in the English Walled Garden. It was, in fact, a magical experience, and I still look back incredibly fondly on that time, on those coworkers and on that most charming English Garden. As a girl who grew up in a fairly rural area, Chicago was a fantastic culture shock. I loved it so much – the beach, the baseball games, the L, the night life, the diversity, the food, even the noise! My sister, who was then working at a public school in Chicago, graciously charged me very little rent to live with her on the north side, and I’m forever in her debt.
I got bit by the travel bug around that time, and as much as I loved Chicago, decided to try something new. I moved out of the midwest “for a couple years,” I told myself and my family, settling in Bend, Oregon, where one of my high school friends had gotten a Forest Service job after college. I’d visited her a couple times, and enjoyed the rugged landscapes and low-key vibes. I quickly got a job at a local garden center, then an additional part-time job at Worthy Brewing doing landscape maintenance. Over time, the latter turned into a full-time position when the Worthy Garden Club was established, and I’m still here almost 13 years later. I worked my way up from the garden manager to Executive Director, and I now manage all our educational programming, the garden maintenance team and the Worthy Hopservatory.
While I did not intend on settling long-term so far from my family, I fell completely fallen in love with the high desert – and my future husband. It’s permanent now (as permanent as life can be), and I live happily with my two young kids, husband and pets in Bend, Oregon.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course not. It’s really hard being away from family, and at times, economic and real-world problems have prevented us from visiting more often. I miss everyone so much, and struggle frequently with the guilt and sadness of missing out. That said, I’m not sure I’d change anything, because I feel I’ve grown in a way you can only do away from family. Out here, I feel free to be exactly who I am. It’s a hard dichotomy to live with.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
My current profession is Executive Director of Worthy Garden Club. Since moving from the midwest more than 10 years ago, I slipped easily into the world of native plants and pollinators here in the high desert (I’m the friend everyone sends their plant photos to for identification.) I specialize in teaching beginner and amateur gardeners how to create and maintain native habitat in an urban environment, and am heavily involved with Pollinator Pathway Bend. It’s absolutely become my passion. I’m particularly proud of the educational resources I’ve helped create both at Worthy Garden Club and Pollinator Pathway Bend, and the fact that I’ve successfully taught my kids to love ALL kinds of bugs and arachnids, yes, even our indoor spiders. Sometimes they even get named.
I like to think I’m pretty good at meeting people where they’re at, and giving them real-life, baby-step tools to move them closer to a more a sustainable life. I understand conservation is not a top priority for many people, and that there are 1,000 things that distract or prevent people every day from focusing on sustainability. It’s okay! I don’t lecture people for “not doing the right thing.” I give them digestible tips to start moving in the right direction. Most people want tools, not a sermon, so I focus on what I can teach them in the time that I have, without judgement.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I’d recommend getting involved in some type of club or volunteer organization that aligns with your hobbies. It’s there you’ll find the folks working to make their community a better place. Older, more experienced people are so excited to share their knowledge with younger generations. We’ve just got to show up, too!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://worthygardenclub.org
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/worthygardenclub
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/worthygardenclub
- Other: https://pollinatorpathwaybend.org
Image Credits
Amanda Photographic
