Angela Mason
About Angela Mason
Angela Mason serves as the Associate Vice President of Community Engagement and Senior Director of Windy City Harvest at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where she has worked since 2003. She has a strong background in youth development and agriculture, having launched successful programs that promote education and employment in the community.
Work at Chicago Botanic Garden
Angela Mason has served as the Associate Vice President of Community Engagement and Senior Director of Windy City Harvest at the Chicago Botanic Garden since 2003. In this role, she directs various employment and technical training programs across 17 farm sites. Her leadership includes overseeing a $4 million budget and managing 200 paid participants involved in multiple programs, such as the Youth Farm program, Corps re-entry program, apprentice program, Farmer Incubator program, and dietary nutrition program.
Education and Expertise
Angela Mason holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Plant and Soil Science and a Master of Science (M.S.) in Plant, Soil and General Agriculture from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. She also earned a Certificate of Professional Achievement in Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her educational background supports her expertise in community engagement and agricultural programs.
Background
Angela Mason began her career as the Coordinator of Green Youth Farm, where she launched a pilot Youth Farm program with a budget of $50,000 and 13 teenagers. Under her guidance, the program achieved a 93% high school graduation rate among attendees, with 90% of participants progressing to college enrollment. This early initiative laid the foundation for her ongoing commitment to youth development and community engagement.
Achievements
Angela Mason has successfully led donor relationship management and fundraising efforts, raising over $1.5 million in a single year. She collaborated with the Lawndale Christian Health Center to complete a $3.8 million capital campaign and construction project for the Windy City Harvest headquarters. Her contributions to youth development and environmental initiatives have been recognized with the North Lawndale Spirit of Youth Development Award and the Illinois Governor’s Environmental Hero Award.