Louisville’s Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s recent invitation for Women Who Shape the Landscape caught my attention. I enjoy public events, especially when I am moved by people with talent and wisdom. Over three hundred park lovers gathered in the beautiful auditorium of the Women’s Club of Louisville on South 4th Street in late March. As it turned out, the panelists were  difficult women. A commitment to preserving parks and protecting communities is not an easy job.

Difficult Women of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy (L-R:) Mimi Zinniel, Susan Rademacher, Layla George, Sarah Wolff, and Mary Grissom.

There was a surprise in store. I hadn’t imagined that this park’s event, next door to Louisville’s  Olmsted-designed Central Park, would feel like an uplifting revival with frequent applause and ovation.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Olmsted Parks Conservancy and the Women’s Club of Louisville invite you to an exciting evening featuring a panel discussion with four Olmsted Parks Conservancy past and present CEOs, Susan Rademacher, Mimi Zinniel, Layla George and Mary Grissom. Moderated by Louisville’s Rachel Platt This engaging panel will reflect on leadership, stewardship and long view caring for public landscapes…this event will celebrate women who have shaped not only an organization, but the enduring green spaces that shape Louisville.

My ears perked up when Sue Breitkopf, CEO of the Olmsted Network, based in Washington, D.C.,  said, “We need difficult women now more than ever.”

Louisville Women’s Club

Parks don’t come free of charge

Breitkopf described the thoughtful designs of our Olmsted parks as part of a “cornerstone of democracy…There is a constant existential threat with public-private partnerships.  These conservancies are founded on land owned by the jurisdiction whether that is the city, county, state or federal. A nonprofit raises money to fill in the infrastructure and maintenance gaps.  You have big problem if this is violated on the nonprofit side.”

But if it’s violated on the city side, the can—general and deferred maintenance—gets kicked  to the curb. Parks become dispensable.

Breitkopf emphasized,” I would put out there for Louisville, and for cities across the country, that we need difficult women now more than ever. Keep the charge going. Let’s protect these landscapes.”

Sue Breitkopf of the Olmsted Network

Women Who Shape the Landscape

When Betsy Barlow Rogers moved with her husband to New York City in the 1970s, she found the iconic Fredrick Law Olmsted-designed Central Park in “shambles,” according to Breitkopf. “The sheep Meadow was a Dust Bowl and there was 50,000 square feet of graffiti covering every surface in the park.” Rogers founded the Central Park Conservancy in 1980. This was the beginning of the park conservancy movement.

Rogers later visited Louisville twice and encouraged the creation of their own Conservancy and helped develop a strategy.  Money to restore and enhance Louisville’s Olmsted Parks was crucial. And still is. Louisville’s parks had suffered from insufficient funding, interference and neglect for too long. Louisville still ranks below its peer cities in per capita spending on parks.

There were historic political parallels in Louisville

John Charles Olmsted, upon a 1906 inspection of the firm’s projects, complained about Louisville’s park management problems. There was too much patronage, piecemeal decision-making and political meddling, instead of coherent stewardship.

Louisville’s Olmsted Parks Conservancy (OPC) was begun in 1989. It was longtime coming.

Moderator Rachel Platt described Louisville’s Olmsted Park Conservancy’s importance. “There are 17 Olmsted-designed parks and six tree lined parkways connected by a 26-mile network. The Olmsted parks Conservancy is a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and protecting these sites and is rooted in the belief that parks are good for communities and essential to our well-being. Frederick Law Olmsted’s belief in parks as democratic spaces for all people is deeply personal to many in this room tonight…I feel like I need my sportscaster voice because this is an All-Star lineup.” Platt introduced Susan Rademacher, Mimi Zinniel, Layla George and Mary Grissom.

Four fearless park care tenders shared a lot in common

Their responses to questions were met with nods of mutual understanding and applause while the panelists talked about their leadership roles.

Susan Rademacher (1991-2007) came from a career in landscape architecture journalism. She helped develop the Conservancy’s comprehensive master plan and completed the OPC’s first capital campaign. “In the beginning was no job description and there was no warm welcome at Louisville Metro Parks. There was great suspicion that I was a spy. It was very difficult to begin to understand how an agency as complex as that works and doesn’t work. It was important to listen to people out in the field who had good ideas that weren’t going anywhere. We needed to find ways to be useful in that first year or two.” Rademacher mentioned an unfulfilled long-time goal that had been recommended in the 1994 Master Plan: “There’s a great opportunity to meet that challenge of the unfinished  Parkway system.  It is intended green space that links all the communities to little parks and the big parks. We have an opportunity to extend and expand those linkages.”

Mimi Zinniel (2007-2017), who spent twenty-six years at Brown Forman Distillers, brought business expertise. “I always loved non-profits. This was where my heart was. My job as the CEO was a marriage of my business background  and all the park green space that I loved. My corporate profile and desire to protect and preserve the Olmsted Parks fit together. She made an analogy, told to her by former board member Rob Auerbach. (Rob’s mother Minx was a founding board member and his daughter Summer was the 3rd generation of OPC board members.)  Zinniel said, “The problem here is wallpaper. You buy a house and you like the wallpaper. You keep the wallpaper and then live with it for years. Then one day, 20 years later, you notice that the wallpaper is ragged. That’s what happens to parks when the community is not actively engaged in maintenance. It’s easy to take parks  for granted. That’s always a big threat.”

Layla George (2018-2024), who was always drawn to natural areas, came from Public Radio where fundraising was second nature. She increased the number of small OPC donors and strengthened staff roles and expanded community engagement and advocacy. George was familiar with the Olmsted Parks in Louisville’s more affluent  East End. “This is where I grew up, but the OPC job offered an opportunity to engage more in Louisville’s predominantly West End where there where there are fewer resources for recreation and entertainment. The social justice aspect of the position appealed to me.” George also mentioned the coincidence of an overwhelming number of “green” organizations in  the Louisville area that were started or led by women—Creasy Mahan Nature Preserve, Louisville Grows, Louisville Metro Parks, Louisville Nature Center,  Louisville Parks Alliance, Trees Louisville, Waterfront Botanical Gardens and Waterfront Park.

Current CEO Mary Grissom (2025-present) arrived with a background in philanthropy, public policy and community engagement. “You need to be present in the Louisville community and in proximity to one another in the democratic spaces of our parks, she said.” When asked what advice  she could give to an incoming CEO, Grissom said, “Be authentic, honest and don’t get caught up in games. It’s hard when you’re dealing with so many different entities.”  She added, “There are decades of research that point to the importance of women’s leadership. Peace treaties last longer when women are involved, outcomes for organizations are better and I think part of that comes from the sort of soft power of inspiring and educating people and highlighting the hard work that is vital to forever protect our parks.

Frederick Law Olmsted Award

Dr. Aretha Fuqua was introduced. “I bring greetings not only from the Olmsted Parks Conservancy Board, but also from the West Louisville Tennis Club. We have been based in Chickasaw Park for 103 years.”

Dr. Andrea Fuqua and Sarah Wolff

Designed in 1923, Chickasaw Park is believed to be the only park in the country created by the Olmsted Firm for the Black community during segregation. The Park is known as Muhammad Ali’s favorite park.

Sarah Wolff—2026 Frederick Law Olmsted (FLO) Award winner

“It is my pleasure to present the Frederick law Olmsted (FLO) Award  for distinguished leadership… Sarah Wolff is celebrating 21 years at the Conservancy. She has worked with the  leadership of all four of these accomplished panelists— in natural area management, program and event development, advocacy and community engagement.  Sarah has been a constant and unwavering champion for every neighborhood that surrounds our parks. She has worked consistently, methodically and often quietly to make sure all voices are not only heard but valued. She is someone that seeks to actively engage others… Sarah, your dedication and service have made a lasting difference for the Conservancy, and for the children, parents and the communities we serve. We are deeply grateful we love you, your commitment, your kind spirit and your ability to empathize with others. Please join me in congratulating the 2026 recipient of the FLO Award.”

Huge ovation.

The shared wisdom of difficult women was a joyful parks communion.

Hallelujah!

All photos were taken by J. Tyler Franklin and are provided courtesy of Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

Disclaimer: I am an unapologetically biased Honorary Trustee of Louisville’s Olmsted Parks Conservancy.

P.S. Dedicated Funding for Parks? The news broke on Tuesday. We shouldn’t call Louisville the City of Parks if we don’t make investments. A similar measure passed in Lexington, KY. We should do the same. This is an exciting opportunity for Louisville.