The Friends of the Public Garden is proud to announce that Liza Meyer, who is currently serving as Interim Parks Commissioner & Chief Landscape Architect for the City of Boston, has been selected as the nonprofit’s next president. She will serve as the membership organization’s third leader, following in the footsteps of founder Henry Lee and longtime president Liz Vizza, and will drive forward the organization’s mission to renew, care, and advocate for the Boston Common, Public Garden, and Commonwealth Avenue Mall as an essential partner to the City of Boston and all that enjoy the three parks.
Meyer will officially take the helm of the Friends on May 1 and will play an active role in the Friends’ Annual Meeting this April as well as The Green & White fundraising dinner, which is the single largest source of funding for the Friends’ annual parks care budget that allows the nonprofit to invest more than $2.6 million annually in the care of these three iconic public parks in the heart of downtown Boston. As president, she will advance the Friends’ advocacy agenda as our city’s built and natural environments grow together, support for park improvements and strategic initiatives like the Henry Lee Fund for Boston Parks, as well as lead signature community programming like the Duckling Day parade for Mother’s Day and celebrations for America and Boston 250.
“We are so excited to welcome Liza Meyer to the Friends as its next president and to have her lead our organization’s continued partnership with the City of Boston; spearhead initiatives like the implementation of the Boston Common Master Plan; and serve as the voice of the parks and all that enjoy them,” said Friends of the Public Garden Board Chair Leslie Singleton Adam. “Liza intrinsically understands how to align priorities and advance meaningful progress through a thoughtful approach to stewardship and civic leadership that is critical for making our parks healthier and more inviting to all.”
Meyer became Interim Parks Commissioner in 2024 after joining the Parks Department in 2008 and becoming Chief Landscape Architect in 2011, where she was charged with overseeing the Department’s planning and design work and reviewing all park improvement projects from tot lot renovations to long-term vision plans for the city’s flagship open spaces. She guided the development of Boston’s Open Space and Recreation Plan and master plans for Boston Common and Franklin Park, provided design review for projects seeking Boston Parks Commission approval and supported the Department’s management of public shade trees. The Parks Department is currently searching for its next Commissioner.
“Since joining the Parks Department over 16 years ago, I have truly enjoyed the opportunity and privilege to renew and expand open spaces across our city,” said Interim Parks Commissioner and incoming-Friends of the Public Garden president Liza Meyer. “Leading the Friends will allow me to focus on the essential role the downtown parks play in Boston’s identity, vitality, and civic life. The programs, advocacy, and parks care that the Friends support helps elevate the management and quality of public spaces throughout Boston’s park system. Together with our partners, the Friends will continue to drive forward its mission and partnership with the City to ensure Boston and its parks continue to grow and evolve together in a way that meets the moment.”
The Friends of the Public Garden is one of the nation’s first public-private partnerships dedicated to parks care and activation in the nation. The Friends plays a vital role in the stewardship of the Common, Garden, and Mall, working closely with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department through a formalized Memorandum of Agreement, which has been renewed across mayoral administrations, to provide and fund the best possible professional care of their irreplaceable collection of mature trees, sculpture, and fountains. Meyer will continue to leverage the Friends’ platform to lift up community voices, speak up for the parks and all that enjoy them, and to center parks management in shared values like equity, accessibility, and inclusivity.
“Liza has been a steadfast leader in shaping and preserving Boston’s green spaces for more than a decade, and I am excited to see her take on this new role with the Friends of the Public Garden,” said Brian Swett, Chief Climate Officer for the City of Boston. “Her deep expertise in landscape architecture, planning, and park stewardship has been instrumental in ensuring our parks are more resilient, accessible, and welcoming to all. I look forward to continuing our strong partnership to protect and enhance these historic public spaces at the heart of our city.”
Meyer is a graduate of the University of Washington and the University of Pennsylvania, and a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Media Contact
Mike Schiano, fopg@denterlein.com, 516-508-6346