Fayetteville nonprofit announces Ashley Wardlow as new director

The Botanical Garden of the Ozarks (BGO) in Fayetteville has hired Ashley Wardlow as executive director. According to a news release Wednesday (Oct. 25), she will begin the job on Dec. 18.

Keith Ehmke held the job previously on an interim basis.

Wardlow is the interim president and chief executive of the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce. Her last day there is Dec. 8. Chamber officials are expected to name the organization’s next chief executive next week.

“I am honored to take the helm as executive director of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks and am committed to nurturing the growth of this cherished institution,” Wardlow said in a statement. “[BGO] represents what’s best for our region, serving for nearly 20 years as a source of inspiration, education and community enrichment.

“I commend BGO’s board of directors, professional staff, volunteers and supporters for their dedicated stewardship. Together, we’ll add to the strong foundation they’ve built, advancing a shared vision for the garden’s vibrant future.”

Wardlow joined the chamber in 2020 as executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit. The chamber board promoted her to executive vice president in late 2021 and she assumed the interim CEO role a few months later, following the resignation of Graham Cobb.

According to Wednesday’s BGO news release, Wardlow administered $1.1 million in grant funding as the Bentonville chamber’s interim CEO.

Before joining the chamber, Wardlow was a development officer at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville. She raised over $1.8 million from a diverse portfolio of corporate, foundation, and individual prospects. She was instrumental in designing and leading the museum’s corporate engagement efforts, including annual events hosted by Alice Walton and Walmart CEO Doug McMillon.

In 2013, she became a donor relations manager at United Way of Northwest Arkansas. She was promoted to senior manager of donor relations before leading the organization’s five-county workplace campaign.

“She’s well-qualified to lead the garden, and in particular, her skills in partnering with other organizations, in community relations and outreach, and in strategic planning will be huge assets to the garden,” BGO board president Lynn Carver said. “She’s a leader that will be motivational and a real team builder.”

BGO sits on 44 acres on the east side of Lake Fayetteville. It includes 12 display gardens and the state’s only butterfly house. The BGO opened to the public in 2007 and attracts more than 70,000 visitors each year.